Stranded on Ariralue
by Matanzo-El-Mono
Summary: Rescued an entire planet from extinction, the Monkey Team is heading home.  However, an unforeseen attack cripples the entire robot, causing it to disengage and seperate the monkey team.  When reunited in a weird world, romance and action ensue. SN more
1. Chapter 1: Sprx and Gibson

**What's shaking everybody? I'm coming to you live from my computer. This is my first SRMTHFG fan-fic that I've published, so it may, you know, suck. But it doesn't matter, because, as Fred Fredburger once said: **

"**I am glad that I ate those nachos, because if I hadn't, I never would have known I could eat them all."**

**(Sniffs) Yea, that's the good stuff. Oh, and I have one question for you all. Why are you reading this instead of my story? Is it that bad? JK, JK.**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 1: Sprx and Gibson**

"Next time Antauri says 'Gibson, scan that space cloud for hostiles,' why don't you friggin do it, brain-strain!" fumed a red-furred male simian, who was currently trying to untangle himself from a mess of vines. He grunted as he finally extricated himself from the natural prison, only to gasp as he fell into the marsh beneath him.

"Ugh." The red monkey lifted himself out of the murky water, weighed down by the mud and water that covered his entire body. He spat a clump of mud from his mouth and waded over towards the shore.

"Gibson, if we ever get the robot back together, I'm going to launch you into deep space the first chance I get." growled the red monkey. He was glaring at a blue-furred monkey already sitting on the bank. The blue one looked up as his companion approached. Neither seemed too pleased with each other's company.

"The same scenario applies from me to you as well, Sprx." replied Gibson. He spoke with a professor-like accent, his voice clearly carrying a matter-of-fact tone. "And don't you try and blame this predicament on me; you know that space clouds as dense as the one Antauri requested I scan can throw of scanning signals. It's a miracle that I even got a whiff of the threat before it attacked; otherwise we wouldn't even be here." Sprx snorted at this, eliciting a growl from Gibson.

"May I remind you, Sprx, that our current situation is as much your fault as mine. If you and Nova had not been bickering over- what was it? Oh yes, one of your perverted pick-up lines, then the two of you might have been able to react to the threat. If you recall, nearly all damage taken by the robot was suffered on the right side, namely _your side_." Gibson smirked at Sprx as the already red-furred primate turned a shade redder.

Sprx opened his mouth to retaliate, but, amazingly, thought better of it and shut his trap. He cleared his throat. "Listen, Gibson, this argument isn't a good use of our time. We both screwed up big time, but now we have to make up for it." Gibson was taken aback by Sprx's sudden maturity, but quickly hid his astonishment and nodded.

"Agreed, our first priority should be to find the others. Then we can formulate a plan to get off of this-" he stared uneasily at a large centipede that was crawling some distance off along the marsh "-_disgusting _planet."

Sprx chuckled inwardly at Gibson's unease, but answered in an even voice. "Then I guess we better get going. We should probably try and find the Fist-Rockets first. They would definitely make things easier." Gibson nodded his consent and pointed to the northwest.

"When we ejected, I saw our rockets go-down in that direction. That's where we should look first."

"Roger." Sprx responded with a thumbs-up. The two monkeys set off towards the crash site, hoping beyond hope that their rockets had survived the crash. However, unknown to the pair, three pairs of piercing eyes watched them as they disappeared into the jungle.

* * *

"What armor do they wear?" asked a slow, calculated, and feminine voice. 

A voice identical in everything except pitch to the first voice answered. "I know not, but it would appear that they have technology far superior to ours. Did you not see the strange things where their ears should be? And what of those strange devices on their backs? We should be wary of these strangers." The two feminine voices continued to discuss the features and mysteries of these two new strangers.

A third voice entered the conversation, causing the other two to become silent. Clearly, this third voice was one to be respected. "Technology, while important, is no match for the cunning and strength of a true warrior. If it comes to violence, we shall be fine." The voice would cause a man many emotions at once: Excitement, uneasiness, intoxication, desire, fear, hope. "However," the voice continued, "I hope that it doesn't come to blows. The red one…_intrigues_ me."

"I must admit that I two find the red-furred one to be quite interesting." responded the first voice that had spoken.

"I find the blue one to be a bigger source of interest." said the second voice. "He seems to be the most intelligent of the pair."

"Well, we shall see." The third voice watched as the red monkey's tail disappeared into the jungle. She smiled. "_We shall see_."

* * *

"Well, this really sucks." Sprx watched in horror as his already mangled ship was torn apart by a trio of giant lizards. Anger grew inside Sprx as he watched his beloved Fist Rocket torn to shreds by the razor sharp teeth and claws of the dinosaur-like creatures. 

"Why isn't this happening to your rocket, Gibson!" complained Sprx.

"I'm not certain, Sprx. There is the possibility that these lizards don't want to travel into a _tar pit_ just to chew on a hunk of metal." Gibson retorted.

"Right." Seething hatred threatened to overcome Sprx. He could barely restrain himself from attacking the giant creatures. The fact that the ship that he had flown to so many victories before was being used as a chew toy struck Sprx on an emotional level many believed he lacked. Only one other thing had ever been able to touch Sprx this deeply, or rather one other person. _Nova,_ thought Sprx.

"What about Nova?" asked Gibson, who was now staring at Sprx. Sprx flushed subtly, not believing that he had thought out loud. "What about Nova?" Gibson repeated.

"I-I was just thinking that w-we should, um," Sprx's mind raced as he tried to think of something. Bingo! "that we should get those dinosaurs away from the wreckage. We both lost our communicators in the landing, and with your ship sinking into that tar pit, the only source of communication we have left is my ship. If we can drive those lizards off, we could send a message to Nova's, Otto's, Chiro's, and Antauri's ships." Sprx mentally patted himself on the back.

"Excellent idea, Sprx. Glad to see that brain of yours can be used for something other than making up bad pick-up lines." Gibson smirked as Sprx took notice of the insult.

"Whatever, Einstein, now's not the time for me to wipe the floor with you. We need to get those lizards out of the way. You ready for a fight, Brainiac?" said Sprx as he pulled out his magnets

"Always, Sprx, always. However, I believe that it would be highly illogical to rush those three behemoths. We have the element of surprise, we should use it."

"You and your dang plans. Sometimes I wish your logic would fall into a tar- Wait a minute!" Sprx exclaimed, a plan formulating in his mind. He checked to see if his rocket-pack was working. "Damn, broken. Gibson, is your rocket-pack working?" Gibson ran a quick diagnostic.

"Yes, it seems to be running well-enough. Why?" A smirk tugged at the corners of Sprx's mouth.

"Listen closely, Gibs, I've got a plan." As Sprx gave Gibson the lowdown, a smile played across the blue monkey's face.

"Two good ideas in a row, I'm impressed, _Sparky_."

"Ignoring that."

* * *

Sprx cast one last look at Gibson, who flashed Sprx a thumbs-up. Sprx nodded and took a deep breath. _This had better work, or I'm toast_. He ran over the plan once more in his head, sighed, and steeped into the clearing. 

"Ahh!" screamed the red-monkey as he fell to the ground, his body shaking and convulsing. He rolled around in agony, apparently oblivious to the three lizards who were eying him.

The three dinosaur-like reptiles licked their chops, savoring the opportunity for an easy meal. As they neared the agonized simian, it apparently realized the danger and took of running, albeit at a greatly reduced pace. The three lizards let out roars of pleasure, anticipating the thrill of the hunt. They took off after the wounded monkey, predator instincts clouding their judgment. The monkey led the three lizards on a wild goose chase, ducking behind a tree just as a lizard bit at him, or swinging away on a vine just as a claw took a swipe at him. It did not take long before the lizards grew completely insane with bloodlust, losing judgment altogether. _Bingo, _thought Sprx, as he noticed the dinosaurs attempts become more and more sloppy. _Time to end this_. Sprx took off running in the opposite way that he had been going, scooting between the legs of two of the dinosaurs. The reptiles roared their defiance and charge blindly after him. _Come to papa_, Sprx thought.

* * *

Sprx broke out of the jungle and entered a wide open plain. His lungs were screaming and his muscles were almost paralyzed with lactic acid build up. 

"Just…fifty…more…yards." wheezed the simian. The behemoth-lizards broke out of the jungle scattering a few trees as they did so. They spotted the fleeing red dot, and let out defiant roars as they charged. They were completely oblivious to everything except the red dot. They were nearly on top of him now. They could almost taste his flesh as they bore down on him. So obsessed were the lizards by their pray that they failed to notice the blue monkey fly in and grab the red one. They also failed to notice the tar pit they were plowing into until it was too late.

The trio of lizards let out one more roar, before they all sank into the depths of the tar pit, along with Gibson's fist rocket.

* * *

"Nice…save…Gibson." gasped an exhausted Sprx. He was currently laying on the ground, eagerly restoring the oxygen his body had been craving. Gibson sat a short distance away, giving Sprx room to breathe. 

"Excellent work, Sprx. It's not often that I get to say that I'm glad you're my brother." Sprx simply plastered a smirk on his face that said 'Ditto.' Sprx rested a few more minutes before Gibson began talking again.

"So, are you ready to proceed?"

"Heck yeah, let's do it." With a groan, Sprx got to his feet. His muscles and joints still burned from exhaustion, but he would live. The monkey brothers set off across the plain, back towards the crashed Fist Rocket.

* * *

"Excellent news, Sprx." exclaimed Gibson. "It appears that those reptilian predators left the computer well enough alone. It should be able to send out a repeating message for a reasonable amount of time." Sprx breathed a sigh of relief at this news. 

"Awesome. Well, let's get this show on the road. Fire up the communicator, Gibson."

"Roger that." Gibson's fingers whizzed over the keyboard, inputting various commands. "There. I've set the next message we record to broadcast every fifteen seconds. The others are bound to catch one of the transmissions." Gibson hit another button and cleared his throat.

"Attention team, this is Gibson and Sprx. We have crashed down somewhere in the jungle. My fist rocket is currently at the bottom of a tar pit, and Sprx's has been torn to shreds. We shall wait at the location of this message's broadcast for rendezvous. Gibson, over and out." Gibson pressed a few more keys, and a message reading 'Broadcasting' appeared on the screen. Gibson sighed and slumped down next to Sprx.

"So, now what do we do?" asked a clearly impatient Sprx. He was curling and uncurling his tail, a sure sign of restlessness.

"Well," said Gibson, "you're going to rest. You still haven't quite recovered from your trial earlier." Gibson cut Sprx off, as he was about to protest. "You need time to let the lactic acids in your muscles dissipate. Don't worry, _little_ brother, I'll monitor the comm. and keep watch. You rest."

Sprx was about to retort about the 'little bother' comment, but realized that there was no harm meant. It was exactly what it sounded like, a big brother telling his little brother what was best. Sprx sighed, but put on a genuine smile. "Alright, bro, you win. But don't let me sleep to long." Gibson smiled at this.

"I wouldn't let you even if you wanted to." Sprx smirked, then rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

_

* * *

_

"_Boy, those zombies sure were ugly, huh?" Asked Chiro, who's attention was being divided between a sandwich and the tag-team fighting game he was currently playing. Chiro was the team's leader and, although he was the youngest, he was also the chosen one, destined to bring peace to the galaxy._

"_Well I guess they were ugly, but they were also pretty… well _cool_. You know?" responded Otto, who was currently using his feet to move his controller while he snacked on a cookie. Otto was the green furred member of the team, and also a mechanical genius. When it came to almost everything else, however, he was a naïve as a five year old. Chiro eyed Otto, and his feet, jealously._

"_Stinking monkeys and your ability to use your feet like hands." Chiro was currently trying to play the game with one hand, and was suffering for it._

"_Actually, Chiro, the word to use would be ambidextrous." interjected Gibson, who was watching the game with mild interest._

"_Thanks for the vocabulary lesson, big brain." Sprx smirked as he got an agitated response from the blue monkey._

"_What are you two arguing about now?" asked a yellow-furred monkey who had just walked into the room. This monkey, unlike everyone else in the room, was a female. She also, unlike the others, exuded an aurora that screamed 'Screw with me, and your dead.' This monkey was Nova, the team's greatest warrior._

_Sprx couldn't help but stare at her as she progressed further into the room. He carefully looked over her entire body, taking in every detail for what must have been the billionth time. His eyes moved up from her feet, past her legs, moving up her body and pausing momentarily on her lips, before finally quickly glancing into her eyes. _The eyes_. The eyes he wanted to get lost in, to spend the rest of his days gazing into. All this happened in a matter of moments, and was completely unnoticed by everyone except Chiro._

He really likes her, _thought Chiro. He leaned over and whispered in Sprx's ear. "You know, if you really like her, why don't you tell her? Then you could look at her without having to hide it." Sprx flushed at being caught, but recovered._

"_I'm just not ready to tell her kid." Sprx almost gasped. He had actually told someone he really liked Nova. Maybe not directly, but it was implied. Still, Chiro had a steady girlfriend, so he obviously knew something about relationships. Chiro rewarded Sprx's faith with a subtle pat on the back._

"_Hey, Sprx, no worries. Whenever you're ready. Just don't wait too long." Sprx smiled at Chiro. _He's a good kid,_ Sprx thought._

"_You didn't answer the question, Sprx. Why were you two arguing?" asked Nova, who was now standing next to him, hands on hips. Sprx's mind raced as he tried to think up a reply. However, instead of the truth, he decided on something else._

"_Well, doll, if you must know, we were arguing over how ugly those zombies were. Gibson seems to think that they were ugly in a sad, almost pitiful sort of way. I, on the hand, said that they were as ugly as you are gorgeous." He supplemented the last part with the wink._

_An imperceptible flush of pleasure crawled across Nova's cheeks at the compliment, but Nova quickly covered it up with a _very_ perceptible flush of anger._

"_Well, I'm glad I remind you of a bunch of _Zombies_, Sprx." Sprx's smirk fell from his face at the sight of the seething monkey._

"_Hold one there, princess! That's not what I meant!" Sprx waved his hands in a placating gesture. However, Nova was not to be swayed._

"_Oh yeah! Well I sure as hell meant this!" Nova reared back her fist and was about to introduce it to Sprx's face when Antauri, who had been quietly meditating above them, suddenly snapped his eyes open._

"_Enough, Nova." Nova's fist stopped a fraction of an inch from Sprx's face. She was still seething with rage. Suddenly, Sprx's mouth acted without his brain's permission._

"_You have lovely hands, you know?"_

"_Knuckle Duster!" Nova's knuckles sprung from her fist and made direct contact with Sprx's face. He went flying across the room and crashed into a wall. Nova then calmed down considerably._

"_Sorry, Antauri, but he deserved it."_

_Antauri sighed and rubbed his temples. "Yes, I suppose he did." Suddenly, Antauri's head snapped up and he stared off into nothingness. When he came back to reality, it was with an urgent message._

"_Battle stations, team. I sense a grave threat approaching the robot!"_

"_Monkey's mobilize!" shouted Chiro, as the whole team, even the woozy Sprx, ran to their respective tubes._

* * *

Sprx awoke from his dream, shaken awake by Gibson. "What is it, big brain?" asked a groggy Sprx. 

Gibson ignored the jibe and replied. "You asked me to not let you sleep very long, so I gave you an hour. Also, I found some food for us to eat. You kept saying 'I…low-vah,' or something like that, which I took to mean a loaf of bread. That, combined with the fact that your mouth was watering, led me to believe that you were hungry. As such, I scavenged what was left of the emergency rations in your Fist Rocket. Here." Gibson handed Sprx a small canteen of water, two candy bars, and an apple.

Sprx accepted the food, but was still reeling. He had been talking about Nova in his sleep, he knew it. Thankfully, Gibson had misunderstood, but the prospect still frightened Sprx.

The two brothers ate in relative quiet for a few minutes, savoring each bite and drink, making them all last. Finally, Sprx broke the silence. "Have there been any-"

He was suddenly interrupted by the beeping of the communicator. "Incoming Transmission" the message on the communicator read.

"Well that answers my question." Said Sprx as Gibson accepted the transmissions. The green, smiling face of Otto greeted them.

"Boy, aren't you guys a sight for sore ocular receptors."

"It's great to see you too, Otto. Is everyone ok?" inquired Gibson.

"We're all a little banged up, but no worse for the wear. What about you guys?"

"My rocket-pack is busted, but other than that we're fine." Answered Sprx. "What about transportation? Did any of your vehicles survive?"

"Well, not exactly. Nova and Antauri's vehicles are gone, completely unsalvageable. However, I was able to fashion a vehicle out of the remains of my Foot Cruiser and the Torso Tank. Sorry to hear about the Fist Rockets."

"Whatever, it's not important, how long do you think it will take you guys to reach us?"

Otto got a lock and their locations and did a quick estimate. "Well, providing the vehicle works, we could get there in an hour or two. If it breaks down, it could be a day or two."

"Well then, let us hope that your contraption wor- oof!" Gibson reached his hand up to his neck and plucked something off of it. It didn't take long to realize what it was.

"Otto, get here as fast as possible. Sprx, we've got company." He held up what Sprx realized to be a dart. Gibson gave the tip a quick sniff. "It also appears that they're using sleeping…potion." Gibson barely whispered the last word before he fell over and promptly began snoring. Sprx pulled out his magnets and scanned the clearing.

"What's going on, Sprx?' asked Otto, and Sprx not only heard the distinct sound that was Otto's vehicle in motion, but also the worry tugging at his voice.

"I'm not sure Otto, but I think Gibson and I are under-" Sprx was distracted by a sudden pain. He looked at his back, only to see a dart protruding from his butt. "-attack." Sprx was able to finish his prior sentence before toppling over next to Gibson.

The two brother monkeys slept, completely oblivious to their surroundings. Completely oblivious to their dear friend Otto, shouting their names, asking what was happening. Completely oblivious of the three shadowy figures striding towards their prone froms.

* * *

**Don't you just hate cliffhangers? Well, what did you think? Good, bad, a bit of both? Was it too long? Well, shoot me some reviews and I'll do everything in my power to make this story fun for you to read.**

**SAVE SEASON 5**


	2. Chapter 2: Trouble and Paradise

**Hey, hey, hey, amigos! I'm back with the next riveting installment of my story. At least, I hope it's riveting. Anyway, before I start the story, I'd like to extend a few shout outs.**

**(ahem) To the following people:**

**Emerald Shapeshifter 777**

**beautybelle300256**

**Layla Fairy**

**MollyDolly94**

**I would like to say thanks. I have read at least one of each of your pieces, and greatly enjoyed them. You may even see some influence of yours appear in my story. Again, thank you. Reviews mean quite a lot to a newbie.**

**Alright, enough sap. On with the story!**

**Oh, and I guess I don't own the show, do I?**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 2: Trouble and Paradise**

"Sprx! Gibson! Come In! Do you guys read me?" Otto was practically screaming into the comm. mike, beads of ice-cold sweat pouring down his face. The dark grip of fear was tightening itself around Otto's heart and mind, threatening to extinguish all of his hopes. _If anything happens to those guys, I'm gonna-_! A sudden noise issued from the communicator, snapping the greener-than-usual monkey out of his dark thoughts. He stared at the comm., unsure if he had _really_ heard anything. He was about to give up hope when he heard the sound again, only this time it was definitive. Then he heard another noise shortly after he first one, and a slight smile of relief spread across his face.

"I never thought I'd be so glad to hear Gibson snore, or Sprx talk in his sleep." Otto wiped sweat from his brow and took a deep breath, in hopes of calming himself down. _So, Gibson was right in about it being sleeping potion. Still, it could easily have been poison._ Otto took another deep breath, and felt better for it. He spun around to face the team.

"Good news, guys! Sprx and Gibson are alive. I can hear them making sleepy-time noises over the comm. It's actually pretty neat." Otto smiled at the relieved looks on Nova and Antauri's faces. The three of them had been anxiously awaiting a sign that the two monkeys were alive, Nova more so than Otto and Antauri. Otto looked at the hatch in the middle of his modified Foot Cruiser.

"Say, would one of you mind watching the comm. while I go and tell Chiro. He should know."

"I'll do it." was Nova's almost immediate reply. Otto was slightly taken aback by the eagerness in her voice, but did not question it. He knew she must be worried about the red and blue brothers.

"Alrighty, it's all yours, Nova." Otto steeped out of Nova's way and handed her the headset for the comm. "I'm gonna go tell Chiro the news." Otto opened up the hatch and disappeared into the tube.

* * *

The tube Otto was currently climbing down was the same one that usually connected his Foot Cruiser to the Torso Tank while in robot form, only slightly shorter. The vehicle Otto had constructed looked like a unicycle, for want of a better word. At the bottom was the torso tank, almost completely unchanged. Then there was the reformatted connection tube, which now had a pole for going down and a hand-bar ladder for ascending. The top of the vehicle was Otto's foot crasher, which was almost unrecognizable. The top was missing, and everything except the comm. and Otto's chair had been removed, making room for Antauri's and Nova's chairs. It was rather clunky and gangly-looking, but Otto was proud of the job he'd done. 

"Chiro, I've got some good news. Sprx and Gibson are fine, they're just knocked out." Otto stated as he popped his head through the Torso Tank's hatch. Chiro breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's the best news I've heard all day. Still, I'm worried about whoever knocked those two out. What if they-" A sudden scream from Nova cut Chiro off. Otto plastered one of his rare, serious-looks on his face.

"Better floor it, Chiro."

"Already done." Chiro slammed his foot on the throttle, and felt the contraption spring forward. Otto pulled his head back through the hatch and clambered up the ladder. _Trouble already?_ thought Otto.

* * *

Nova's mind was running at a mile-a-minute. _What if it really _isn't_ sleeping potion? What if it just put's you to sleep at first, and then kills you later? What if I never talk to them again? What if I never get to smack Sprx again? What if I never hear his voice? What if…_A small flush of embarrassment spread across Nova's face. She was worried about Gibson, of course. But, for some reason, most of her 'What If' situations revolved around Sprx. She shook her head, trying to erase the image of Sprx's smirking face from her mind. She felt a sudden hand on her shoulder, and looked back to see Antauri's calm, comforting, and robotic, face. Antauri was the second in command of the Hyper Force, and also the wisest. He was the only fully robotic member of the team, because his soul had been moved into the Silver Monkey's body when hiss original black body was destroyed. He smiled at her. 

"He'll be fine, Nova. He is strong, plus he has Gibson with him. Those two are a resilient pair. Together, they are strong in the Power Primate." Nova sighed, but suddenly snapped up.

"A-Antauri? How did you know I was thinking about Sprx?" Antauri simply smiled at her.

"Love is often the most detectable of signs." At this, Nova's face flushed with equal parts embarrassment and anger. She clenched her fists.

"Me love _Sprx!_ Antauri, I think you've lost it. I'd sooner fall in love with a _formeless_ than Sprx. I couldn't love that perverted jerk if we were the last two monkeys in the _universe_! You hear me?" Antauri seemed slightly taken aback by the ferocity of Nova's defense, but quickly recovered.

"My apologies, Nova. I didn't mean to offend you. I just didn't think you hated Sprx so much." Nova bristled at the last part.

"I don't hate him." Nova replied quietly. Antauri saw that the conversation was going nowhere, so he gave Nova's shoulder a comforting squeeze and began to float back to his chair. He had only just reached his chair when Nova screamed.

"What's wrong, Nova?" Antauri looked over her shoulder, and immediately saw what the problem was. A shadowed figure was standing in front of the comm., smiling in a none-too-nice way at Nova. On the figure's left and right sides were two other beings, only they were currently holding Sprx and Gibson. Nova glared daggers through the screen.

"Who are you?" Nova almost snarled the question. The center figure waved Nova's question away.

"You're not worthy to ask this question, one called Nova." Nova gasped at the use of her name, but her anger grew when she realized the mystery being was a girl. Her voice would seem magical to a male, Nova knew. However, all Nova heard in the voice was venom. Nova returned that sentiment gladly.

"Listen here, _tramp_. If you hurt one hair on their heads, I'm gonna…" The mystery visitor once again waved Nova off. Nova felt like she was going to explode.

"Is this blue-furred one your mate?" The shadowed creature tapped Gibson on the head. Nova glared all her hatred at the stranger, hoping it would strike her dead.

"No, Gibson is not my mate." Nova would have laughed at the sentiment, if it had been any other situation. However, she wasn't in a mood to laugh right now.

"So he is untainted? Good." _Untainted_, thought Nova, _what the hell does that mean?_ She was brought back to reality by the stranger's voice.

"What of this red-furred one? Sprx? Is he your mate?" Nova snarled as she saw the mystery being rub the top of Sprx's head carefully, almost lovingly. Nova practically roared into the microphone.

"Get your slimy hands off of him, you _bitch_!" Nova was breathing heavily, anger threatening to overcome her. The stranger's voice sounded amused.

"So, the red one is your mate?" Nova answered before she could think.

"No way in the world would Sprx _ever_ be my mate." Nova tried to ignore a small part of her that screamed in protest. The stranger smiled.

"So he is also untainted. This is most excellent. You have been most helpful, bitch called Nova." With that last word, the mystery being brought her foot crashing down on the comm. station.

"SPRX! GIBSON!" Nova screamed into the comm. mic, just as a message reading "Transmission Lost" appeared on the screen. Nova fumed, inputting every command she knew into the comm., desperately trying to re-establish connection. Antauri's hands enclosed around hers, and she began crying into his chest. Antauri stroked her head and shushed her, much like a father would do.

"Come now, Nova. Is this anyway for a brave warrior to act? Sprx and Gibson wouldn't want you to cry." Nova sniffed back some tears and wiped her eyes. There was a fear in them that Antauri had never seen before. A sudden noise caused the pair to turn around. Otto was pulling himself out of the tube, breathing heavily from his rushed ascent. He took a deep breath, and then noticed Nova's puffy eyes. A terrible feeling crept into Otto's stomach.

"Uh, I'm guessing something bad happened?" Nova opened her mouth to answer, but all that came out was a wrenching sob. Antauri stoked her head.

"Just relax, Nova. I'll handle it." Nova took great gulping breaths in an attempt to settle herself. Antauri turned to Otto. "It would appear that Gibson and Sprx have been taken prisoner. Also, it seems that the leader of this new threat has a, er, _special interest_ in Sprx." Otto scratched his head, not quite understanding.

"Special interest? I don't really under-" Otto was cut off by an enraged outburst from Nova.

"He means that this mystery bitch wants to get to know Sprx personally. _Very personally_." Otto finally understood.

"Oh." The three monkeys stood in silence for a few moments, letting it all sink in. Finally, Otto decided to break the silence.

"Well, at least there's a silver lining in all of this." Nova glared at the green-furred monkey.

"And what the hell might that silver lining be, Otto?" spat Nova. Otto suddenly became very interested in the floor.

"W-well, at least we know Sprx and Gibson won't be harmed. If these strangers are so interested in them, then they probably won't hurt them, right?" Antauri nodded his consent. Nova didn't seem to like it, but was forced to accept what Otto said as the truth.

"How long until we reach Sprx and Gibson's position?" inquired Antauri. Otto squeezed past Nova and tapped some buttons on the comm.

"Best I can tell, we should get there in about an hour. Providing this machine makes it the whole way."

"Well, then, there's nothing we can do except wait. I suggest we all get some rest. We may need it." Otto gave Antauri a thumbs-up, while Nova nodded gruffly. Antauri sighed and floated back to his chair. He closed his eyes and went into a meditative trance. _Hold on, my friends,_ he thought. _We're coming_.

_

* * *

__Sprx felt the tube suck him along, taking him to his beloved fist rocket. Nova's voice came over the comm. relay. _

"_Foot Pressure Cruiser One GO!" Nova said._

"_Foot Pressure Cruiser Two GO!" Otto reported._

"_Fist Rocket Three GO" yelled Sprx._

"_Fist Rocket Four GO!" stated Gibson._

"_Brain Scrambler Pilot Five GO!" said Antauri._

"_Torso Tank Driver Six GO!" finished Chiro._

"_Super-Robot-Monkey-Team-Hyper-Force-GO!" they all shouted._

"_Gibson, scan that space cloud on the right. I detect an ominous presence there." said Antauri._

"_Certainly." replied Gibson. Everyone was silent while Gibson worked, except for Sprx and Nova._

"_I'm just saying, sweet cheeks; I didn't mean it like it sounded." insisted Sprx. Nova was having none of it._

"_Oh really! Then how _did _you mean to compare me to a zombie? I'm listening_." r_etorted Nova. The two became so wrapped up in their argument that they didn't hear Gibson's warning._

"_I've got something. Multiple hostiles inbound on right side. Nova and Sprx, do you copy?" Sprx was just about to tell Gibson to shut it when something crashed into his rocket. He was violently thrown against the ceiling, and then everything went black._

* * *

"Oh my aching head." Sprx massaged his aching temples. "What the heck happened?" Then it all came back to him. The space battle, the crash, the giant lizards, the chase, contacting the team, the dart, Gibson- 

"Gibson!" Sprx sat up straight, and realized that he was lying in a bed. But it wasn't just any bed; it was the single most comfortable bed he had ever slept in. Shortly after this realization, another one dawned on him. _Someone's holding my tail_. Sprx spun his head to the right, and saw the most intoxicatingly beautiful monkey he had ever seen. She had what appeared to be extremely dark purple fur, and green eyes. He stared into her eyes. They were the most luscious shade of green he had ever seen. He wanted to fall into them, to swing around in them, to go wild in them. The mystery monkey smiled at him, then leaned in and kissed his forehead. It was lucky that he had red fur, or she would have seen his blush. He realized that their tails were intertwined.

"Glad to see you awake, one called Sprx." _Hoo-cha, her voice is the greatest thing I've ever heard._ Sprx's heart was beating faster now than when he was running from the lizards. He swallowed heard and attempted to speak.

"H-hi, uh, who are you?" The female giggled at Sprx's awkwardness, and gave his tail a comforting squeeze. Pleasure shot through Sprx like wildfire. He realized his mouth was open, and he closed it.

"My name is Yitai, one called Sprx."

"A pretty name for a pretty lady." Sprx swore he saw Yitai blush at the compliment. She began stroking his tail with hers. Sprx wished the moment would never end.

"I am sorry for the manner in which we brought you here, but we feared that you would not come if we did not take you." Sprx stared into Yitai's eyes like a love-sick puppy. Her eyes pleaded him for forgiveness, begging for understanding. He lost himself in them for a moment. He brought himself back to reality and stroked her hand, drawing a smile from the angel before him.

"There is nothing to be sorry about, Yitai." Yitai smiled, and began fussing with the tassels on the bed sheets. Sprx wondered what she was thinking about. Suddenly, the beautiful monkey crawled into the bed with Sprx, and snuggled up to him. It took all self-control Sprx had not to yell out in triumph. Yitai began making noises, and Sprx realized that she had fallen asleep, her head lying on his chest. Sprx lay back down, and carefully began stroking her side. He felt her tail subconsciously squeeze his, and he let out a content sigh. _Greatest-Day-Ever!_ After thinking this, Sprx felt a small disturbance in the back of his mind. He probed into his mind, trying to find the source of this disturbance. Sprx didn't like the disturbance one bit. It seemed to be telling him that this wasn't right, it wasn't what he wanted. _But it is what I want, isn't it?_

"_No!"_ Sprx almost yelled out when he received an answer. He scanned the room, but nobody was there. The voice spoke again.

"_I am in your mind, SPRX-77. I know you better than anyone else in the entire universe. There is nothing you can hide from me."_ Sprx was about to demand that the voice reveal who it was, but checked himself, fearing he'd wake up Yitai. A sudden idea came to him.

_Who are you,_ thought Sprx. The voice chuckled.

"_Why, I am you, in a sense. I am your conscience, SPRX-77."_ Sprx was flabbergasted.

_My what?_

"_I'm your conscience. It's my job to tell right and wrong. I'm supposed to help you make the right decisions."_

_So why are you here now?_

"_I'm here because you believe that the woman lying next to you is the person you've been searching your entire life for. You know this is not true. You've known the person you've been searching for your entire life."_

_Oh yeah, and who the hell might that be?_ But Sprx already knew what was coming. He had always known it, he realized.

"_Why, Nova of course, you great stupid monkey. You know that she's the only monkey for you. She's the one you stay up late thinking about. The one you know that would make you happy for the rest of your days."_

_Alright, I admit it. Everything you say is true. Still, Nova doesn't like me that way. Shoot, she barely likes me at all. What kind of a future does that promise?_ The voice made a tut-tut sound.

"_Sprx, you know what to do. You've always known. You've just been too afraid to do it. You must be sincere with her, apologize for all of your shenanigans, and, most importantly, you must tell her that you-"_ The rest of Sprx's conscience's advice was driven from his mind by a kiss from Yitai. Sprx gazed into her loving eyes and soon forgot all about his mental conversation.

"Sorry about falling asleep. You're just so comfy." Sprx blushed at the compliment and hugged her tight. They lay like that for a few minutes, then Yitai let out a sigh. She got off the bed and untwined their tails. Surprisingly, Sprx did not experience a feeling of loss. He knew he knew why, but he couldn't remember.

"I suppose you would like to see your brother?" Sprx shook himself out of his thoughts and nodded his head.

"Yeah, is he ok?"

"I've never felt better." Sprx looked to his left, and smirked as he saw his brother approaching. Gibson had a big smile plastered onto his face. He bowed to Yitai, who graciously returned the gesture. "Thank you for watching my brother, Yitai." Yitai smiled.

"It was no problem, Gibson. It was my…_pleasure._" Yitai emphasized the last part by glancing at Sprx, who smirked. Gibson took no notice of this.

"If you don't mind, Yitai, I'd like to speak with my brother privately." Yitai smiled and bowed.

"Of course, Gibson." She glanced at Sprx one more time, and then made her way out of the room. Sprx watched her the whole way, smirking the whole time. Gibson, who had been looking out the window, turned to Sprx when he heard the door close. He had an eager look in his eye, like a kid at Christmas.

"This place is incredible, Sprx! It's a scientific marvel. You really must see it." Sprx sighed and got out of bed. He walked over to the window and glanced outside. The sight took his breath away. He was staring at a large city, brimming with monkeys of all hues. There were hundreds of buildings, not to mention what Sprx realized to be a market place, library, even a museum. The city was protected by a circle of thick walls, which Sprx could see yellow monkeys patrolling.

"Monkey doodle." Sprx was overwhelmed by it all, but he began to notice something the longer he looked. "Hey, Gibson, have you noticed that there are no red or blue monkeys?" Gibson looked over the city and gasped.

"Why, you're right Sprx, not one in sight. Come to think of it, when Mubra and Arbum gave me a tour of the city, I didn't see any then either. I guess I didn't think about it." Sprx continued to stare at the city, searching for a hint of red or blue fur, but there was none. Sprx decided to keep the conversation going.

"So, who are Mubra and Arbum?" Gibson was about to reply, but someone else answered.

"Why we are." Sprx and Gibson whirled around, and saw two monkeys standing in the doorway. They were female, Sprx realized, and they were identical in every aspect, except in their voices. "We welcome you to our city, Master Sprx." Sprx smirked at the title.

"Why thank you, ladies. Does your lovely city have a name worthy of it?" The twins smiled.

"We believe so. It is known to all as Paradise."

**

* * *

****So, there you have it. That's the second chapter. Did it feel rushed, or was anything unclear? Let me know. Please read and review. Su ayuda esta muy precioso. **

**SAVE SEASON 5**


	3. Chapter 3:  Feelings with a Twist

**Hello again, everybody.**** ¿Cómo están? ****I'm pleased to announce that I've received over one hundred hits on my story. I'd like some more reviews, please, out of those hits, but noobs can't be choosers. Thanks to all of my reviewers and return readers for you support. Mad props for you all.**

**I don't own SRMTHFG, because if I did there would be a fifth season.**

**On with the story!**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 3: Feelings with a Twist**

Nova couldn't rest. She knew it was the smart thing to do, but her anxiety was too strong. Whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the shadowed female stroking Sprx's head. When she tried to shut out noise, she heard the venom in the stranger's voice. Nova's anger was bubbling within her, mixing with her anxiety and exhaustion. It was a dangerously volatile mix, and she knew it. Still, she couldn't calm herself down. She paced back and forth, a million situations running through her head. Nova was just planning a particularly gruesome fate for the stranger, when a comforting hand grabbed her shoulder. The goofy, smiling face of Otto greeted Nova as she turned around.

"Everything will be okay, Nova. Sprx and Gibson are tough, plus the strangers don't want to hurt them. Just relax." Nova let out a sigh and forced a smile.

"I know, Otto. I'm just, well, that's just it. I don't really know what I'm feeling right know. I can't stop thinking about, er, about the stranger." Nova was being only half-truthful. She was thinking about the stranger, but it was more about what the stranger was doing with Sprx than the stranger herself that consumed Nova's thoughts. She searched herself, trying to name this emotion inside of her. She couldn't put her finger on it, so she decided to ask Otto. "What do you think, Otto?" Otto's eyes opened wide, and he blushed considerably. He wasn't the person people usually opened up to about their feelings. That was Antauri's department. He cleared his throat.

"Well, um, I don't know. What is it about the stranger that has you going like this?" Nova recoiled ever-so-slightly at the question. _Damn, what was I thinking?_ _Otto can't help me with this without me telling him about Sprx. Still, I guess I have to tell someone._ Nova took a deep breath.

"Well, Otto, I-I think it has…something to do…with…_Sprx_." Nova had all but whispered Sprx's name. Otto's eye ridges shot up. For the first time in his life, Otto completely understood a situation that had nothing to do with mechanics. It was just his luck that the situation happened to be such a touchy one. Not to mention that he was dealing with the hot-headed Nova. Otto began touching his index fingers together, looking everywhere except at Nova.

"Um, Nova, I th-think that, um, y-you might be, er, feeling a t-tad bit, um…_jealous_." Otto squeaked out the last word, but Nova still heard it. Nova suddenly heard two voices in her head.

* * *

"_He is right, you know."_ The first voice sounded clam and collected, like a female Antauri. A second voice responded. 

"_Don't listen to Ms. Goody-goody over there. You, jealous of _Sprx_? Ha!"_ The second voice reminded Nova of herself. It was strong, independent, and fiery. The first voice answered back.

"_Look into your heart, Nova. Search your feelings. You know that you are jealous."_

_And why would I be jealous of Sprx and some tramp?_ thought Nova, not really expecting an answer. She almost gasped when she got one.

"_The answer is, of course, obvious. You have feelings for him. Feelings you don't harbor for anyone else in the universe. Don't try and deny it either. I can see it in your actions around him, and in the way you respond to him when he makes passes at you. It is most prevalent, however, when you see him flirting with another female. You get angrier at those times than when you are fighting. Admit it, Nova, you l-"_ the second voice cut in.

"_Oh please, like she really feels for the red guy. He's a good-for-nothing pervert, and you know it. You see how he flirts with every pretty tail that passes by. I'm telling you, Nova, you don't feel anything for this guy."_ The first voice jumped back into the argument.

"_How can you have seen everything I've seen, heard everything I've heard, and felt everything that I've felt? Not feel for him? She feels more strongly about him than anyone else. You're both just too stubborn to realize it."_ The second voice laughed.

"_We're stubborn? We're not the ones who think that life is all candy canes and hugs. We're not the ones who believe love is black and white."_ The first voice roared at this.

"_You _are_ the ones who think love is black and white. You think, just because you're confused about how you feel for Sprx, that you don't love him? Don't be ridiculous. Nova, you love Sprx, and you know it. No amount of denial is going to change how you feel."_ Nova could almost feel the first voice smile at the silence it received. Nova worked up the courage to speak.

_Even if I do love him, which I'm not saying that I do, what am I supposed to do about it? Tell him I love him and hope for the best?_ The first voice sighed.

"_Nova, Nova, Nova. You know what to do. You have to first admit it to yourself that you love him. Then, you've got to tell somebody else how you feel. You'll never have the courage to tell Sprx without telling someone else first. Finally, after you've admitted it to yourself and somebody else, you'll have to tell Sprx. You can't just sit around, hoping that he'll tell you. Nova, can you hear me? Nova?"_ Nova came crashing back into reality.

* * *

Nova opened her eyes to find herself staring up at the worried faces of Otto and Antauri. Her head was throbbing from the mental battle she had been in. She sat up and held her head, trying to ease the ache. Otto and Antauri seemed slightly relieved that she was awake and moving, but their faces still betrayed a large amount of concern. The ache in Nova's head dwindled, but she could still feel a faint throb. She forced a smile. 

"Hey guys, what's going on?" The stern look she received from Antauri silenced any further hope of brushing off the subject. Otto put his hand on her forehead. "Otto, what are you doing?"

"I'm checking your temperature." he responded matter-of-factly. Nova brushed off Otto's hand and glared at him. Antauri stepped in before a fight could start. He looked at Nova. Nova felt as if he was looking through her, directly into her soul. She broke eye contact and turned around. Antauri sighed and, placing his hands on her shoulders, spun her around to face him. Nova gazed into his blue orbs, a calm feeling coming over her. Antauri began to speak.

"Nova, Otto tells me that you may be, well, _jealous_ of this stranger and Sprx?" As Nova prepared an answer, the throb in her head worsened. She winced at the ache, but did not succumb to it again. She struggled from Antauri's grip and glared at him.

"I've already told you, Antauri, I don't love Sprx. There's no way in the world that I would ever feel jealousy towards _anything_ that has to do with him. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get some rest before we get to the location of Sprx and Gibson's last transmission."

"Uh, I don't think that's going to work, Nova." stated Otto. Nova raised an eye ridge.

"And why, may I ask, not, Otto?" There was a dangerous edge in her voice. Otto pointed at the comm.

"Because," he said, "we'll be there in five minutes."

* * *

"Paradise. Now _that _is a name for a city. Do you think the others would object to us living here, Gibson?" Sprx was looking out the window again, a smirk plastered onto his face. He glanced back to see if Gibson had heard him, and was surprised to see him deep in conversation with the twins. Well, one of them anyways. Mubra seemed to be actively participating in the discussion, while Arbum had an expression of polite interest on her face, but was clearly bored. Knowing that feeling all too well, Sprx sidled over to her and whispered into her ear. 

"Hey, how about you show me around the city? Let the two love birds have their time alone." Arbum blushed at the closeness of their bodies. At least, Sprx thought she did. Her dark-brown coloration made it difficult to tell. She composed herself and spoke.

"Of course, Master Sprx. It would be my honor to show you the city." Without bothering to dismiss herself from her sister, she spun around and strode out of the room. _Not that it would've mattered_, thought Sprx. _Mubra and Gibson are so wound up in their conversation that I could smack them with a two-by-four and they'd keep talking_. Casting one last look at his blue brother, Sprx hurried after the receding figure of Arbum, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Gibson looked up when he heard the door close. "Oh dear. It seems that we were so caught up in our conversation that we failed to notice Sprx and Arbum's departure." Mubra scanned the room and nodded her concession. 

"It would appear so, Master Gibson. Well, what would you like to do? You have total freedom here, as long as it is within our laws and our walls. Is there anywhere special you would like to go?" Gibson thought about it for a moment, thinking over his options. Then a thought occurred to him.

"Monkey doodle! The team!" Mubra tilted her head, confused by the sudden outburst.

"What is this team of which you speak, Master Gibson?" Gibson stared at Mubra, not really sure how to explain.

"Well, Mubra. Sprx and I belong to a team known as the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force. We protect the planet Shuggazoom and the universe from evil. We had come under attack while passing by your planet, causing us to crash. Sprx and I were separated from the rest the team upon our landing."

"So is that who you two were waiting for when my squad brought you here?" Gibson looked up.

"That reminds me." He stared penetratingly at her. "Why did you bring us here?" Mubra looked uncomfortable.

"Er, well, it is a complex issue. Perhaps it would be better to discuss it when Master Sprx and the rest of your…_team_ are present."

"Yes, I suppose so. But, how will the team get here?" Mubra offered a comforting smile.

"Worry not, Master Gibson, an experienced guide will be sent to lead your team." Gibson looked skeptical.

"I don't believe that the team will take too kindly to a stranger greeting them after we've been kidnapped. I would like for either Sprx or myself to go along." Mubra shook her head at this.

"I am afraid that that is not possible, Master Gibson. It will be hard enough for the guide to lead your team as it is. Adding another monkey may prove to be too strenuous. I'm afraid he will have to go alone." Gibson didn't comprehend what Mubra was saying.

"What do you mean _too strenuous_? Wouldn't it make his job easier if a friendly face was present to calm my team's suspicions?" Mubra sighed, and was apparently mulling something over in her head. Suddenly, she took Gibson's hand and led him out a door opposite the one Sprx had exited through. Gibson was surprised by the sudden movement, but couldn't help but like the feel of her hand in his.

"Where are you taking me, Mubra?" Mubra didn't bother to look over her shoulder when she answered.

"I'm going to show you why you cannot accompany the guide to meet your friends." Intrigued by the prospect of learning more about his surroundings, Gibson let Mubra guide him without resistance.

* * *

A couple minutes of walking brought the pair to a large pair of ornate doors. Gibson noticed that the corridor they were in seemed cloaked in shadow, keeping everything just outside of his view. He worked up the courage to speak. 

"Mubra, where are we? This place has a mysterious and rather disconcerting feel to it." Mubra looked back and offered him a comforting smile, which gave Gibson a fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach. She proceeded to knock three times on the right door, and then thump the left door once with her tail. The doors opened inward, not a sound to be heard. Although disconcerted by the fact that nobody had appeared to open the door, the warmth of Mubra's hand in his gave him the courage to follow her into the room. The doors closed behind them, creating total darkness. Gibson was about to say something when the room was suddenly flooded with light. Gibson blinked a couple of times, attempting to adjust to the sudden change in lighting. When his vision returned, the sight astonished him.

"Welcome to Portal Room Sigma, Master Gibson." said Mubra, who smiled at Gibson's astonishment. They were standing in a room filled with dozens of monkeys, all of them a shade of brown. While some were simply standing around and chatting, others were scurrying about, doing some task or another. A few monkeys were washing and polishing a trio of giant monkey statues, which depicted three monkeys standing next to each other, hands interlocked. The majority of the monkeys, however, sat meditating around a giant swirling pool, which appeared to be filled with black ooze. _Tar, perhaps?_ thought Gibson. One monkey, who was apparently deep in conversation with another, happened to glance in Mubra and Gibson's directions. His eyes widened and he knelt down, proclaiming loudly.

"Esteemed One Mubra! Our deepest apologies for not extending a proper greeting immediately on you entrance! Forgive our oversight! We shall fast two weeks as punishment!" Every monkey in the room, save for Gibson and Mubra, fell to their knees and began proclaiming as well.

"Forgiveness! Forgiveness! We beseech you humbly, begging your forgiveness!" _Fascinating_, thought Gibson. _It would appear that Mubra has quite a bit of influence here. Perhaps what would be equivalent to a Sensei in a dojo, or a Dean in an University_. Gibson was drawn from his thoughts by an exasperated sigh that escaped from Mubra's lips. When she spoke, it was with the tone one would expect from a mother who was not really angry with her children, but had to scold them anyway.

"Must you all do that _every time_ I enter this room? I swear, all the other Portal Rooms have learned, why can't you all?" The monkeys hung their heads in shame. The monkey that first spoke, however, worked up the courage to speak.

"But, Esteemed One, we are simply following the customs set down by your-" Mubra cut him off, apparently having heard this argument many times.

"The customs set down by my fathers and mothers before me, yes, yes, I know. But they aren't here, are they? I'm in charge now, so therefore you listen to me. Do I make myself clear?" The monkeys hung their heads lower, shame apparently growing. A second monkey began to speak.

"We apologize for our inability to learn, Esteemed One. We shall fast for-" This monkey was cut off by Mubra again, annoyance beginning to show in her voice.

"_No Fasting_! Do I make myself clear?" The monkeys hung their heads almost to the floor, and then chorused.

"Yes, Esteemed One, we understand." Mubra sighed, but a smiled appeared on her face. Gibson was beginning to like that smile. Mubra cleared her throat authoritatively. The monkeys' heads all snapped up, listening intently.

"I have a guest with me today, one Master Gibson." They monkeys all stared at Gibson, apparently noticing him for the first time. A loud wail escaped from the crowd of monkeys.

"Oh, Master Gibson, forgive our oversight. We did not see you there. We shall fast for-" Mubra almost lost control.

"_WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT FASTING?"_ This time the monkeys' heads _did_ touch the floor.

"FORGIVENESS! WE BESEECH BOTH OF YOU! FORGIVENESS!" While Mubra was threatening to blow, Gibson had to restrain himself from laughing. When Mubra noticed this, she calmed down considerably. She turned back to the emotionally crushed monkeys.

"As I was saying, I have with me a guest. Master Gibson has need for a guide to retrieve his team from the jungle. I am in search of Harlo."

"I am here, Esteemed One." The first monkey who had spoken stood up and hurried over to the pair, bowing his head. "I am at your command, Master Gibson." Gibson wavered slightly, but regained his composure.

"Please, just Gibson." Harlo's eyes widened, but he nodded all the same. Gibson smiled. "Now, Harlo, I need you to go to the clearing where my brother Sprx and I were, er, _found_, and meet up with my team. I request that I come with you, so as to calm any hostilities that may, and probably will, occur." Harlo shook his head, which irritated Gibson. "Why can I not come? Does it violate a custom or something?" Harlo shook his head again, but Mubra was the one who answered.

"It has nothing to do with our customs, Ma-er, Gibson. It has to do with it being, like I said, too strenuous." Harlo nodded in confirmation, and Mubra continued. "The swirling ooze you see there is a special kind of tar, found only on this planet. Long ago, a chosen few of our people discovered how to use the tar as a portal of sorts, allowing them to travel about the planet quickly. The problem is it requires a good bit of energy to use the portal, and even more when bringing guests along. It will already be strenuous for Harlo to bring your team back with him. Adding an extra passenger is unnecessary, not to mention dangerous. I believe that a letter written by your hand will be enough for your team, correct?" Gibson wasn't willing to give up so easy. He still had one argument left.

"Then why only send Harlo? Why not send one or two more to assist?" Mubra had an answer prepared, as if she'd been expecting this question.

"There are two reasons. The first reason is that it would, again, be unnecessary. A note from you is all Harlo will need. The second reason is that, if we did send along extra help, it would appear as if you were a prisoner instead of a guest. We do not desire unprovoked hostilities. Surely you see the logic in this, Gibson." Even though he didn't like it, Gibson was forced to accept what Mubra said as the truth. He sighed and nodded. Mubra smiled at him, and then turned to Harlo.

"Bring Gibson the materials necessary for his letter." Harlo bowed and disappeared into the chamber. The rest of the monkeys had returned to their earlier activities, acting as if nothing had changed. Mubra sighed. "They can be exasperating sometimes, but they are the best we've got." Gibson was about to inquire further about the portals and their users, but was interrupted by the return of Harlo. He had in his hands a piece of paper and a fountain pen. Gibson graciously accepted the items and began writing the letter. He didn't write much, just enough to ease the mind of his teammates. When he was finished, he turned to Harlo.

"Here you go, Harlo. You will want to give this to Chiro; he will be the tallest of the group. A human, if you know what that is." Confusion registered on Harlo's face, so Gibson dropped it. "You will also want to watch out for a yellow-furred monkey named Nova. She can be a bit quick-tempered sometimes. The silver and green monkeys are named Antauri and Otto, respectively. Antauri is quite wise, and Otto is a goof-ball. You should receive no trouble from those two. Good luck, and send them my and Sprx's regards." Harlo bowed yet again, stuck the letter in a pouch on his belt, then promptly spun around and approached the swirling ooze.

"I beseech you, great portal, allow me passage!" Harlo's eyes took on a purple glow, and a dark mist surrounded his body. He extended his right arm forward, making what appeared to be a stop signal. The mist around his body began to circle in front of his right hand, and began to grow. It became larger and larger until it was big enough for Harlo to step through. Harlo bowed his head at the black ooze, and then stepped through the portal. The mist immediately disappeared, and Harlo was gone.

"Wow." Gibson had seen many extraordinary things in his time, but this was nigh unbelievable. Mubra once again smiled at his astonishment.

"Does this interest you, Gibson?" Gibson looked at her, awe clearly etched on his face.

"I must admit, Mubra, that this whole thing astounds me. If it is possible, I would like to research all of this, possibly hear from you what it is all about. There is so much to learn!" Mubra looked at the floor when she answered.

"I would be happy to take you to the archives, that you may learn all you wish to know. However, I was wondering if, er, you were hungry?" Gibson was caught off guard by the question, but realized that he was indeed famished.

"Actually, I am feeling rather hungry. I believe the ingestion of nutrients would be an excellent idea." Mubra laughed at his choice of words. Gibson felt pure bliss as he listened to her laugh. It was almost magical.

"Well, Gibson, I know a nice deli near the city archives. That is, if you, er, wish to…join…me?" Gibson almost cried out at this. She was inviting him to go to lunch with her. He saw her looking everywhere but him, and thought it was absolutely adorable. He took her hand, causing her to blush.

"It would be _my_ honor, Mubra." At this, Mubra's blush grew even redder.

* * *

Sprx hurried down the hall, reaching the end of the corridor before finally catching up to Arbum. "Wow, slow down there, princess." Arbum looked over her shoulder, embarrassment registering on her face. 

"My apologies, Master Sprx. I did not mean to walk at such a fast pace." Sprx offered her a charming smile.

"Hey, no harm no foul. Just take it easy, ok? Enjoy life." Arbum smiled at this, and the pair continued down the new corridor, Sprx marveling at the ornate decorations. "Wow, this is one fancy place." Arbum laughed at this, drawing a frown from Sprx. "What?" Arbum stifled her laughter.

"Oh nothing, Master Sprx. I just found it amusing that you seem surprised that the _palace_ would be fancy." Sprx stopped dead in his tracks.

"_The palace?_" said Sprx, astonished. He looked at Arbum intently, causing her to blush. Sprx continued. "So when I called you princess back there, was I being accurate?" Arbum let out another laugh at this.

"No, Master Sprx, I am not a princess. I am in a high position, however. I am in charge of all things mechanical in the city. The Head Mechanic, if you will." _A female Otto, eh?_ thought Sprx._ Well isn't that interesting?_ Sprx smiled at Arbum, drawing another blush.

"My apologies, Arbum. I didn't mean to mix up your position." Arbum waved the apology aside.

"Please, Master Sprx, think nothing of it. Now, do you still desire that tour?" Sprx smirked and nodded.

"Sure, why not? It'll give me something to do." Arbum smiled, and the two monkeys continued on their way. When they were about halfway down the hall, a door on their left opened. Out of it stepped Yitai in all of her glory. Sprx gave her a quick once over. Upon seeing Sprx and Arbum, Yitai waved and approached them. She had a beautiful smile on her face.

"Where are the two of you going?" asked Yitai, her melodic voice dulling every sense in Sprx's body. Arbum answered.

"Master Sprx requested a tour of the city, Yitai. We are on our way right now."

'Would you care to join us, babe?" Sprx offered her his arm with a wink, causing Yitai to giggle. She wrapped her tail around herself and looked at the floor, her shyness only strengthening Sprx's love-drive.

"I'm afraid that I cannot accompany you, Master Sprx, though I would very much like to. However, I do need to speak with Arbum in private. Only for a moment." Sprx was disappointed at Yitai's inability to come, but hid it. Yitai beckoned for Arbum to follow, and the two walked through the open door, closing it behind them. Sprx was left to wonder what they were talking about.

* * *

"Is everything going as planned, Arbum" asked Yitai, her shy-girl act now nonexistent. Arbum stood rigidly at attention, meeting the piercing gaze of her leader with rigid discipline. She answered in a strong voice, like one would expect from a strong officer.

"Yes, Yitai. Everything is going as planned. Mubra has the blue one preoccupied, and the red one is infatuated with you. Soon he will be all yours. Everything is running smoothly." A third, unseen voice entered the conversation. This voice was much like Yitai's, only it was older and commanded complete respect. There was also venom clearly existent the voice, lots of it.

"No! Everything is not perfect. It is true that Mubra has this Gibson preoccupied, but I sense that she is beginning to feel for him. That must be monitored closely. Also, I sense that this Sprx does not have eyes solely for you, Yitai. I sense in him a love stronger than the one he has for you. _Much_ stronger. We must find who this love is for, and overshadow it." Yitai snarled at this news, an ugly imperfection on her otherwise flawless personage.

"I know who he loves. On his team, there is a yellow-furred female named Nova. From what little I have heard and seen, the two appear to feel something for each other, but neither is strong enough to admit it." The third voice sighed at this news, but quickly composed itself.

"This is an unfortunate situation, but not all together unworkable. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage. Yitai, _you_ must guide Sprx through the city. Attempt to dig this Nova out of his system, and implant yourself in her stead." Yitai nodded and walked towards the door. Just as she was about to open it, Arbum called out.

"Be a good girl, won't you?" Yitai had an evil grin on her face.

"Aren't I always?"

* * *

Sprx was trying to hide a fancy candleholder he had broken when Yitai exited the room. Sprx grinned sheepishly and held out the broken object. 

"Er, sorry about this. I didn't think it would be that fragile." Yitai simply laughed, driving away all Sprx's worries.

'No matter, Master Sprx, no matter. Those are easily replaced. However, I am sorry to report that Arbum has been called for by some of her aides. It has something to do with a malfunctioning generator. Anyways, I will be happy to guide you through the city. That is, if it pleases you." A hint of hope entered her voice during the last bit. Sprx smirked at her.

"Oh, it would be _very_ pleasing to have you accompany me." Yitai blushed at the compliment, and that blushed only deepened when Sprx offered her his arm. She took it, and the two set off down the hallway, both looking forward to an afternoon together.

**So, that's Chapter 3 done. Sorry if it was WAY to long. I just started typing and ended up with what you see. Like it, Love it? Hate it? Well, I've got an Idea.**

**PLZ READ THIS! (ahem)**

**I would like to thank the people who've read my story so far, especially the reviewers. You guys are the coolest. To all those people out here who read my story and don't review, I have this to say. I write these stories not just because I like writing, but also for you guys, my readers. I want to make this story as good as possible, and I can only do that by hearing everyone's opinion. So flame it, say good job, whatever. It could be one word. But, if I'm going to write these chapters of thousands of words, couldn't you all just spare ten seconds to review it. It means a lot to me whenever I see a new review has been posted. A LOT. Anyway, thanks for reading my story, and this. Gracias, mi amigos, gracias.**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	4. Chapter 4:  Revelations

**Hello again, wonderful readers. If this is your first time reading this story, and you're just passing through, then enjoy your stay. However, if you're a return reader, I would like to thank you. You've made this experience fun and smooth. Anyways, here is the fourth chapter of my story, in which stuff happens.**

**Again, SRMTHFG doesn't belong to me. But at the moment, it might as well not belong to anybody.**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 4: Revelations**

"How do you guys think we should go in?" The remainder of the Hyper Force sat atop Otto's custom vehicle, trying to map out a course of action. Antauri cleared his throat.

"Otto asks a valid question. We should approach the situation carefully. There is no telling what kind of reception we should expect. Just because these strangers appear interested in Gibson and Sprx, doesn't mean we should expect the same treatment. Chiro, what do you think?" The group was currently only a minute away from their destination. They had parked the vehicle amongst the trees, concealing it. Chiro thought about it for a minute, and then came to a decision.

"Alright, here's the plan. Antauri and I will go into the clearing and search for clues. Nova, you'll circle the clearing on the left. Otto, you'll take the right. If you see even the slightest hint of an ambush, you let us know, and we bug out. Understand?" Otto smiled and flashed a thumbs-up. Nova, on the other hand, seemed less than pleased.

"So what you're saying is if there's an ambush, we're just going to leave Sprx and Gibson? I don't run away from a fight, Chiro. It's not suiting for a warrior." Chiro hid the shock he felt with a great deal of effort. Nova had _never_ contradicted him in such a blatant manner. Sure, she would make suggestions or ask questions, but she never meant them to be mean. Something wasn't right here.

"Nova, is everything alright? You seem to be a lot more moody than usual." Nova huffed at this.

"I'm fine, Chiro. I've never felt better in my life." Chiro sighed, and the glance he received from Antauri told him all he needed to know. He turned back to Nova.

"Ok, Nova, I'm giving you the ball. What do _you_ want us to do?" Nova was caught off guard by the question, but quickly recovered.

"I say we go in there, look for clues, and smash anyone or anything that gets in our way." She accented the last part by smashing her fist into her hand. Antauri let out a sigh.

"Nova, you know that Chiro's plan is the better one. You mustn't let your emotions control you." Nova snarled, and then gasped. _I'm snarling at Antauri! What is wrong with me!_ Nova took a deep breath and forced a smile. She gave Chiro a thumbs up.

"You're right, Antauri. I just need to calm down. This whole kidnapping business has me all worked up, but I just don't know why." Otto stared at her.

"But I already told you, Nova, you're feeling je-" Otto was silenced by a glare from Nova. Chiro, sensing that Otto's life was in danger, clapped his hands together.

"Well, ok then. Let's get going. Move out, team." The three males took the lead, with an angry Nova bringing up the rear.

* * *

Harlo sat next to the busted comm. station, silently meditating. He listened to the sounds of the jungle, becoming one with his surroundings. He heard the ants crawling a few feet away from him. He heard the branches sway and the birds fly. 

"I'm bored." Harlo's eyes snapped open, his moment of peace lost. He lay back against the comm., looking up at the sky. _Snapping myself out of a trance by talking, how unprofessional. I shall have to fast for a week. No need to tell Esteemed One Mubra._ Harlo was one of the most powerful portal users in the kingdom. However, he lacked the focus necessary to become the best. He watched the clouds float by, waiting for Gibson's team to arrive. "What could be keeping them?" he thought. Suddenly, a rustling at the edge of the clearing caused him to stand up.

"About time they showed up."

* * *

"I'm telling you, Chiro, I sense nobody else. There is only him, and he means us no harm." Antauri was staring at Chiro, begging him to understand. 

"I hear you, Antauri. Still, there's no point in taking any chances. Nova, Otto, you guys will still circle around while Antauri and I make contact. If you see anything suspicious, let him have it." Otto pulled out his saws and flashed his trademark grin. Nova readied her fists, but the smile on her face was all but comforting. It was as if she was begging the mystery monkey to do something. Chiro tried to ignore it. "Alright team, let's do it." Chiro and Antauri entered the clearing as Nova and Otto began to stealthily circle the clearing.

* * *

Harlo smiled at the approaching pair, but frowned when he noticed that two were missing. He cleared his throat. 

"Greetings, Chiro and Antauri. My name is Harlo. I have been sent at the request of Master Gibson to guide you all to the city." Chiro's eyebrows shot up.

"Master Gibson?" Harlo looked embarrassed.

"My apologies, just Gibson. Anyway, forgive my blatancy, but aren't there four of you? A green and yellow monkey, I believe." Antauri stepped into the conversation.

"They will be along shortly. I am sorry for not accepting your word as is, but do you not have anything to prove that Gibson sent you?" Harlo's eyes widened.

"Yes, of course! How could I be so foolish! I have something for you." Harlo began to reach into a belt pouch.

_That's suspicious enough for me,_ thought Nova. The yellow monkey sprung from the jungle, fist hurtling towards Harlo's face. Harlo was caught completely off guard, and was sent flying clear across the clearing by Nova's strike. He crashed into a tree on the right side. Before he could stand, however, Otto leapt from the jungle and held a saw to Harlo's throat. Otto grinned.

"No sudden moves, monkey boy." Harlo cocked an eyebrow at Otto's word choice, but said nothing. Nova, Antauri, and Chiro approached the pair, suspicion written all over their faces. Nova was practically flaming.

"Why were you reaching into your pouch?" Harlo sighed and tried to talk without cutting himself on Otto's saw, which wasn't easy.

"I have a letter from Gibson in that pouch. I was attempting to show it to Chiro and Antauri as a sign of my good intentions." Nova snorted at the 'good intentions' bit, but said nothing. "If one of you would be so kind as to reach into my pouch and get the letter out, you'll see it's the truth." Chiro carefully reached into the pouch and pulled out…a letter. He unfolded it and scanned it several times, and then nodded.

"This does look like Gibson's writing. Antauri, what do you think?" Chiro handed the letter to Antauri, who read it carefully. He spoke.

"Yes, this is Gibson's hand. It would seem that all is on the level. Still, I have many questions." He turned his gaze to Harlo, sizing him up. "Why did your people take Gibson and Sprx in such a manner, if you meant no harm?" Harlo eyed the saw at his throat, and Antauri motioned for Otto to release him. Harlo fell to the ground and rubbed his throat.

"I am not authorized to disclose that information presently. However, if you all would be so kind as to follow me, there shall be a meeting at the palace in which all will be revealed." Harlo stood up and proceeded to stride off into the jungle, not bothering to check if the others were following him. Chiro looked at the team, and then took off after the receding monkey. Antauri and Otto followed soon after, and lastly came Nova, her mood not having improved.

"This better not be a trap, or someone's going to get hurt."

* * *

Ten minutes of walking brought the group to a giant tar pit, which aroused Nova's suspicions. When she spoke, venom dripped from her voice. 

"What the hell are we doing at a tar pit, Harlo?" However, much to Nova's annoyance, Harlo ignored her. He strode towards the pit and stood on the bank. He spoke quickly.

"Please hold your tongues and do exactly as I say. This is a very difficult process." Nova was about to tell Harlo that she'd speak when she damn well wanted to, but was silenced by Antauri.

'Listen to him, Nova. He means us no harm." Nova crossed her arms and huffed, anger bubbling in her chest. Harlo flashed Antauri a thank you smile, but it was not returned. Harlo turned his attention back to the pit. He held both of his hands in a stop signal, and then spoke.

"Oh, Mighty Portal, I beseech you humbly. Allow me and my fellow unworthy comrades passage through you." Smoke issued from his body, mixing with smoke already rising from the tar pit. The monkey team watched in awe, even Nova. The Mist began to grow and spread, larger and larger it grew. The bigger it grew, however, the more Harlo shook. He was sweating all over, and every part of his body shook and ached. Just as he was about to give in, the portal reached the appropriate size. He turned to the others.

"Hurry through! I can't hold it long!" Without a second thought, the monkey team rushed into the smoking portal, Nova bringing up the rear. When she had stepped through, Harlo managed to nod his head at the tar pit, before collapsing through the portal. The smoke vanished and the area was clear of everything. There was no sign that anyone had ever been there.

* * *

Gibson walked down the street, licking the last remnants of a sandwich off of his fingers. He offered Mubra a smile. 

"Well, Mubra, I am not usually one for bananas, but that sandwich was scrumptious. I dare say I may have to include more bananas into my diet." Mubra smiled at this.

"I am glad you found it pleasing, Gibson. That deli is my favorite place in the whole city to eat. So, do you still desire to go to the archives?" Gibson nodded at this, so Mubra led him off down the street, their hands intertwined. They were in the middle of a conversation about the principle of portal travel, when they arrived at their destination. Gibson gawked at the building.

"Welcome to Paradise's archives, Gibson." The building was an architectural marvel. It included the building properties of the Romans, Greeks, Medieval Europe, and Ancient China. Gibson tried to imagine how long it must have taken to construct such a marvel. But the most amazing aspect was the fact that it was in pristine condition. Gibson turned to Mubra.

"This building is simply astonishing. How have your people been able to keep it in such a fabulous condition?" Mubra couldn't help smiling at the amazement on his face.

"We have a highly skilled team that is dedicated to keeping all the buildings in the city as beautiful as possible. As you can see, they do a very good job." Gibson nodded subconsciously, and then felt himself being pulled up the stairs by Mubra. The two entered through the giant archway that served as a door. Inside the archives it was nice and cool. It took Gibson a few moments to realize just how big the Archive was. There were _thousands _of rows of books. The ceiling was covered by beautiful murals, the three monkeys from the Portal Room in the center of the building. Gibson shook himself out of the daze and followed Mubra along a small path in between the rows of books. In the middle of the Archive sat an ancient monkey, whose fur was now almost completely grey. However, patches of blue were still prevalent. Gibson gasped.

"You have blue fur!" he said before he could stop himself. The old monkey turned its head to look at the pair. When it spoke, its voice was calm and collected, belying its old age.

"Why, thank you for noticing, son. Not many people realize that anymore." The old monkey stood up, Gibson hearing the faint creak of bones. The monkey bowed to Mubra, who returned the action. "I am honored to have you here, Esteemed One." Mubra smiled and hugged the old creature, but gently enough so as not to throw out his back.

"The honor is mine, Knowledge Keeper Orm. I have brought with me a friend, Gibson. He seeks to learn about the history of the portals and their users." Orm turned his gaze once again on Gibson, who gave him a pleasant smile.

"I would be honored to read from your vast collection of knowledge, Knowledge Keeper Orm." Orm waved the title away.

"Bah! Just Orm, please. I can't stand titles. I would be glad to show you to the texts." Orm took off down one of the many aisles, Gibson and Mubra in tow. As the party passed by rows, Gibson began to notice other monkeys in the Archive. All of them were blue, which intrigued him. He turned to Mubra.

"Why are the only monkeys here blue? And why are there no blue monkeys in the city?" Mubra shrugged.

"No one is certain, Gibson. The ones with blue fur all seem drawn to this place, to its knowledge. Very few ever spend their days anywhere but here. They are not forced to stay here, they just choose to." Gibson marveled at this, but did not pursue the topic any further, as it wasn't likely to go anywhere. Orm stopped a few feet in front of them, pointing at two of the shelves.

"These are the best references on the portals and their history. Help yourself to whatever you like, but be sure to return the materials when you are done." Gibson thanked Orm, and then proceeded to scan the books and scrolls, picking out a few here and there. Orm chuckled at Gibson's eagerness, and then dismissed himself, giving Mubra's hand a squeeze.

"Thank you for your help, Orm. We are much obliged." Orm smiled and took off down the aisle, returning to his post in the middle of the Archive. Gibson turned to Mubra, a huge smile on his face. The smile filled Mubra with joy.

"This place is amazing, Mubra! I don't know where to start." Mubra smiled and pulled a rather large volume form the shelf. She brushed some dust off the cover and handed it to Gibson. The title read The Complete History of the Portals. Mubra smiled.

"How about at the beginning?"

* * *

Sprx and Yitai sat on a little wall, sampling the ice cream they had just purchased from a street vendor. Sprx had gotten a strawberry-banana mix on a whim, while Yitai had chosen Cherry Garcia. The two ate their ice cream slowly, their tails intertwined. A group of yellow monkeys who were passing by stopped and waved at Yitai, who offered them a polite smile. Sprx wondered at this. 

"What was that about?" he asked. Yitai gave him a beautiful smile.

"Just some guards from the palace that I know. They're very nice people, not to mention strong." A mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes. "Just like you, Sprx." Sprx smirked at the compliment.

"Well, this city is elegant, beautiful, and all around perfect. That also describes you, Yitai." Yitai giggled at this, giving Sprx's tail a squeeze. Sprx sighed contentedly. When the two had finished their ice creams, they thanked the vendor and began to stroll through the city, hand in hand with their tails still intertwined. Every now and then Yitai would stop to point out some famous building or another, and Sprx would pretend to listen. What he was really doing, however, was watching her. He watched the way her lips moved, the way her body swayed, the way her eyes sparkled. It was all so intoxicating. Yitai pretended not to notice when he stared, but secretly congratulated herself._ Keep it up, Yitai. You'll have him eating out of your hands in no time_. Yitai led Sprx to a small park with a pond in the middle. Little monkey children were playing games and chasing the geese who were just trying to find some food. Yitai and Sprx sat down on the bank, just watching the spectacle that is life, enjoying each other's company. Yitai laid her head on Sprx's shoulder. Sprx released her hand and placed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her closer. Yitai sighed contentedly, wrapping her tail around the both of them. Sprx turned his head and gazed into her eyes, and she into his. They're faces grew closer. He could feel her hot breath on his face. He closed his eyes.

"Heads up!" Sprx's eyes snapped open when an unknown object smashed into his head. He fell forwards into the pond, the object landing next to Yitai. Sprx emerged from the water, a growl dying in his throat when he saw Yitai laughing. He smiled and stood up. He walked up next to her and proceeded to shake off the water on her, eliciting a squeal of surprise. The two were laughing when a young, green-furred monkey came over, embarrassment written all over his face. He pointed at the object that had beamed Sprx, which turned out to be a Frisbee. "Sorry about that, Mister. It was and accident." Sprx smiled at the kid and tossed him the Frisbee.

"Don't worry about it, kid. Accidents happen all the time. Just try and be more careful." The kid nodded and ran back to his friends, waving the Frisbee around. Yitai giggled at the kid's eagerness, which made Sprx smile. He helped her up and the two went on their way. They had been walking for a few minutes when they passed something that caught Sprx's attention. "Ice Skating! I haven't done that in forever! You want to go, Yitai?" Yitai smiled and nodded her head. The two monkeys entered the building and rented their skates. Sprx turned to Yitai while they were putting on the skates. "I must warn you Yitai. I'm quite the skating wizard." Yitai raised an eyebrow.

"Let's see you back up that talk with some action, tiger." The two walked to the rink and took off, hand in hand.

* * *

Nova felt as if every part of her body was being pulled in fifty directions at once. She tried to call out, but found herself unable. She couldn't even bring herself to think. Whatever happened, she could do nothing about it. Suddenly, as soon as it had started, it was over. She found herself in control of her body and mind again, but everything was black. She called out. 

"Why can't I see anything?" Harlo's gasping voice answered her.

"Just…wait…a bit. The shadow…will release…your sight…in a moment." As soon as he was done speaking, there was a blinding flash of light. When Nova was finally able to open her eyes, she realized she was standing in the middle of a giant room filled with brown monkeys. There were three giant monkey statues to her left, and a giant swirling pit of black ooze behind her. Her team was located on both sides of her, marveling just as she was doing. She noticed that Harlo was on his knees, breathing hard. Another brown monkey approached him and offered him a black mixture. Harlo took it and drank deeply, coughing when he had finished it. He stood up, apparently feeling much better.

"Welcome to Portal Room Sigma, Hyper Force." Chiro and Otto gaped at it, mouths hanging open, eyes sparkling. Antauri scanned all of the monkeys, impressed with the serenity that was prevalent in the room. Nova however did not seem all that impressed.

"Where are Sprx and Gibson? I thought you said they'd be here." She grabbed Harlo and held up a threatening fist. "This had better not be some sort of trick, Harlo. I can get pretty angry when someone lies to me." Harlo eyed the fist nervously, but answered in a calm voice.

"No tricks, Miss Nova. Gibson was here earlier, but he could have gone somewhere while I was gone. He is not a prisoner here; he is free to travel the city." Nova let Harlo go, although she did not seem entirely convinced. Antauri interjected.

"Harlo, we wish to speak with Sprx and Gibson immediately. Surely you can understand how we feel." Harlo put on an apologetic smile.

"I am very sorry, Master Antauri, but there is nothing I can do. I do not have the power to give new arrivals clearance to enter the city. You shall have to await the return of the Esteemed One." Nova glared daggers at the brown monkey.

"Who the hell is the Esteemed One?" A voice rang out across the room.

"That would be my sister, Mubra." Nova and the others turned to see a dark-brown monkey approaching them, a pleasant smile on her face. Otto began to fidget.

"She sure is cute, Chiro." Otto whispered into Chiro's ear. Chiro, who did not really know how to find a monkey cute, whispered back.

"She, um, sure is Otto." Otto became increasingly interested with his tail, fiddling with it for no apparent reason. The new monkey addressed them all.

"I apologize for any misunderstandings and or inconveniences that we have caused you. My name is Arbum, and I am in charge of all things mechanical in the city of Paradise." Otto almost yelped. _Mechanics! She's like me! We've got something in common!_ Arbum continued. "I am sorry to say that Master Sprx and Gibson are currently out and about. Gibson, I believe, is in the city archives with my sister, doing research on the portals you just used." Nova cut in.

"And what about Sprx? What could he possibly be doing?" Arbum raised an eyebrow, but continued.

"Master Sprx is currently touring the city with Miss Yitai. I don't expect them to be back until late. It is a big city." The news Arbum gave Nova couldn't have been any worse. Nova felt her anger welling up inside of her, threatening to overcome her self-control. She launched a biting insult.

"So Sprx is out touring the city with some bimbo, is he? I wouldn't expect anything else from that good-for-nothing pervert." This time Arbum did respond.

"Excuse me, Miss Nova, but Miss Yitai is not a _bimbo_. She is a highly respected member of our society, and also a good friend of mine. You would do well to show her some respect." Nova made ready to bite back, but was silenced by Chiro.

"Easy, Nova. Let's not go making any enemies." Nova was breathing hard, but managed to control her self. She bowed slightly to Arbum, though there was still anger in her voice when she spoke.

"Sorry about the outburst, Arbum. It won't happen again." Arbum looked skeptical, but accepted the apology.

"No matter, Miss Nova. Now, if you all would be so kind as to follow me, I shall escort you to your rooms. There you shall wait for the return of your friends. We shall fetch you when they arrive." Arbum set off out of the room, the Hyper Force rushing to catch up with her. Nova brought up the rear of the procession, her thoughts unknown to everyone. Chiro and Antauri were in the middle, admiring the intricate designs and ornate decorations. Otto walked next to Arbum, trying to think of something to say.

"Uh, so you like machines, huh?" Arbum turned to face him, a pleasant smile on her face. Otto blushed.

"Yes, I do enjoy tinkering with my machinations and the like. If you want, Master Otto, I would be happy to show you my workshop." Otto blushed deeper at this, and could only nod as an answer. Arbum smiled at his embarrassment, and gave his hand a friendly squeeze. Otto's face became a red as Sprx's. The group had been walking for several minutes when Arbum came to a stop. They were in a corridor with doors of different colors. Arbum explained what each color meant.

"The red doors lead to bedrooms. Each bedroom has one large bed, a sofa, a private bathroom, a fireplace, and a small collection of books for reading. Oh, and I recently installed TVs that are video game compatible." Chiro's and Otto's eyes almost burst from their heads at this. Arbum chuckled. "The green door leads to a small kitchen, where you can make yourself a snack if you're hungry. You will be invited to dine with us at main meals, if you desire. The yellow door leads to a steam room for girls only. The black door leads to a male's only steam room. The blue door leads to an indoor pool, which you are free to use at any time. Finally, the orange door leads to a gym, where you can work out and train, if you desire. Please, make yourselves at home." As she was about to leave, she turned to Otto. "I'll come get you in fifteen minutes, then?" Otto gave her and embarrassed nod, which made her smile. She turned around and left them to themselves, disappearing around the corner.

Chiro turned to Otto. "Why is she going to come and get you Otto?" Otto blushed and twiddled his thumbs.

"Um, she's going to show me her workshop." Chiro snickered evilly.

"Going to get cozy, are we?" Otto's blush deepened, causing Chiro to grin mischievously. He was about to continue when Nova smacked him in the back of the head. He glared at her. "What was that for, Nova?" Nova stared at him, her face stern.

"That was for acting as immature as Sprx. I expect better from you, Chiro" Chrio rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed.

"Sorry, Otto." They all stood in silence for a little while. Chiro cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we should pick our rooms." Otto sprinted to the one by the pool.

"Dibs!" exclaimed Otto as he touched the door. Then, without another word, he entered the blue door. The three left standing in the hall heard the sound of a splash, which made Chiro laugh. He claimed the one by the kitchen, and then rushed off to join Otto in the pool. Antauri and Nova were left alone. Antauri looked at Nova, and Nova anticipated what he was going to say.

"I'm not going to talk about it, Antauri." Without another word, Nova entered the bedroom in-between another bedroom and the training room. Antauri sighed, and then silently floated over to the male's only sauna. He opened the door and proceeded to meditate, mentally putting rocks onto the heater and applying water when needed.

So the Hyper Force spent their day waiting for the return of their two missing members. Otto and Arbum spent a good chunk of the day tinkering with the prototype of a new generator. It was more compact than the other ones, but put out five times the energy. They were still having problems with meltdowns, though. Chiro swam for a while, and then trained a bit with Nova. He didn't go long, because Nova seemed angry, which made sparring with her life threatening. Excusing himself, Chiro went to his room and began sampling the video games. He didn't leave his room for a long time.

Nova was left to spend most of the day alone. Antauri kept himself locked in the sauna most of the day, attempting to cool himself with the Power Primate. It was an excellent mental exercise. Nova trained in the gym for a while, but eventually grew bored, which was unusual. She went to her room, but couldn't sleep. She tried the video games, but didn't feel like playing them. She gave the sauna a spin, but couldn't stand all the sitting around. She even tried swimming, which turned out to be a big mistake, as it reminded her of how much Sprx detested water. As she left the pool room, she bumped into someone. She mumbled and apology, but was shocked when she realized who it was.

"Gibson!" Nova hugged the shocked blue monkey, who, realizing who she was returned the gesture. Someone made a huffing sound, causing Gibson to release Nova. She smiled at him, rejoicing in the fact that he was really ok. Then she noticed the other monkey standing behind him. "Arbum, what are you doing here?" At this, the monkey smiled.

"No, Nova, I am not Arbum. I am her sister Mubra. I am gad to see that Harlo managed to get you all here safely." She hesitated. "You are all here, right?" She had no sooner asked the question when Otto, Chiro, and Antauri burst from there respective rooms, all rushing up to Gibson. Gibson smiled at the relieved looks on their faces. Antauri spoke.

"I am glad that you are alright, Gibson." Gibson placed a comforting hand on Antauri' shoulder, but was soon caught up in a bear hug from Otto.

"I'm glad to see you too, Otto. But would you mind letting me breathe?" Otto let the blue monkey go, slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry." Gibson smiled at his green friend.

"No matter, Otto." Gibson turned to Mubra, who had been silently admiring the display of comradeship. Gibson cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is Mubra. Mubra, this is everyone. Antauri, Chiro, Otto, and you've met Nova." Gibson gestured to each person as he spoke. Mubra bowed to them.

"It s an honor to finally meet you all. Gibson has told me much about you." Chiro returned the bow, and held out his hand. Mubra took it and the shook. She cleared her throat. "I am hereby giving you all honorary guest status. Starting tomorrow, you may tour the city as much as you like. A guide is available upon request." The group thanked Mubra, who nodded. Se turned to Gibson. "I shall fetch you all for dinner in a bout half-an-hour." She was about to leave when Gibson apparently made a decision about something. He grabbed her and kissed her on the cheek. Both of the monkeys blushed as Chiro wolf-whistled. Nova was to shocked by Gibson's actions to hit Chiro. Gibson spoke in a shaky voice.

"T-thank you for your help, Mubra." Mubra put on an embarrassed smile, and then moved off down the corridor, as if in a daze. Everybody turned to Gibson.

"What was that about, Gibson" asked Nova. Gibson blushed, which was very unlike Gibson.

"I was just thanking her for helping me." Chiro smirked.

"That was a mighty big thank you, Gibson." Otto began skipping around Gibson, a goofy grin on his face.

"Gibson's got a girlfriend! Gibson's got a girlfriend." Soon Chiro joined in, making Gibson blush until his whole face was red. Nova grabbed both of their ears, eliciting cries of pain.

"We're going to have a nice training session before dinner." Nova led them towards the gym, but turned around before entering. "Congrats, Gibson. She seems like a really nice girl." Nova closed the door behind her. Gibson and Antauri were left alone in the hall, listening to Otto and Chiro's vain attempts at begging for mercy. Antauri turned to his now red friend.

"Nova's right, Gibson. She seems quite nice. I am indeed happy for you." Gibson looked at his old friend, and was finally able to calm down.

"She is, Antauri. She's the most perfect person I've ever met. She's smart, kind, considerate, helpful, and has the most beautiful laugh. I've never felt this way before." Antauri smiled at his friend's abnormal behavior.

"Well, now you do. Enjoy it, Gibson. This doesn't happen very often, so make sure you don't let her go." Gibson found it weird to be getting relationship advice form Antauri, but it all sounded right. He grasped the silver monkey's hands and gave them a squeeze.

"Thank you, Antauri. Now, I think I'm going to shower before dinner. We must keep up appearances for the nobility." Gibson entered on of the two rooms left available. Antauri smiled, and the returned to his own room, getting ready himself. As he finished polishing his metallic body, a thought occurred to him. _Where are you Sprx?_ Antauri thought.

* * *

Sprx and Yitai walked down a now deserted street, hands and tails interlocked. Sprx sighed happily. 

"This has been the best day of my life, Yitai. Bar none." Yitai smiled and gave his hand a squeeze.

"The same goes for me, Sprx." The two walked on in silence for a while, just enjoying the other's presence. A sudden thought occurred to Sprx.

"Hey, Yitai, I've got a question."

"Huh?"

"Why are there no red monkeys in the city?" Yitai laughed at this, which surprised Sprx.

"Oh, there are red monkeys, Sprx. They just don't go into public much. They are often very busy." Sprx was interested.

"Why are they often busy?"

"Well, it's because red-furred monkeys are often out on special assignments. They are the pilots and commandos of our kingdom; I guess you could call them that." Sprx smirked at this news.

"Yeah, that sounds about right." Yitai giggled at this and squeezed his tail. The two continued their way back to the palace. Yitai sighed.

"I'm afraid that we're going to miss dinner. My apologies." Sprx laughed and pulled her closer to him, making her blush.

"Don't worry your pretty little head. I'd trade a thousand dinners for a day like today." Yitai squealed in pleasure, nuzzling her head into his neck.

"I agree, Sprx. I agree."

* * *

Mubra returned a half-an-hour later, just as she had promised. With her this time was her sister Arbum. She waved at Otto and held out her hand, which was taken by the embarrassed green monkey. Gibson watched this with interest, his own tail and hand already connected with Mubra's. So the two budding couples led Nova, Chiro, and Antauri down the halls, until they reached the dining hall. 

"Wow." uttered Chiro. The dining hall was big enough to comfortably house the Super Robot. There was a long table in the middle of it, laden down with food. Dozens of monkey nobles were already eating their dinner when the group entered. The monkey at the head of the table stood up. Only it wasn't a monkey, Chiro realized. It was a gorilla.

"Welcome, honored guests. We are happy that you have decided to grace our table with your presence. My name is King Gromulous Texet Julian Flandit Yoogle Rextus the Fourth, but you may call me King Grom. This is my wife, Queen Roesat." A slender pink monkey stood up and bowed to the party. The king motioned for them to sit, and then promptly began eating again. The queen laughed at her husband's antics.

The group split up to find seats. Gibson and Mubra sat at the head of the table, near the king. They soon lost themselves in a conversation about the original founders of Portal Travel. Arbum and Otto sat at the middle of the table, in between the door and the king. Otto piled his plate with mashed potatoes and began drawing something in them. Arbum watched intently.

"Now, there are three major problems with the generator." began Otto. "I think I figured out the solutions to one of those. Panels A through J are constantly overloading their capacitors, sparking the meltdowns. If we put resistors here, here, and here, we would eliminate the overflow of energy through the panels, while still being able to use that energy ourselves." Arbum's eyes widened at this.

"You're right, Otto! How could I not have noticed that! You really are brilliant." Before she even realized what she was doing, she leaned over and kissed Otto on the forehead. Neither monkey had ever blushed so hard in their life. Chiro, Antauri, and Nova were left to sit at the end of the table, near the exit. Chiro was currently digging into a plate of food that was as big as he was using two forks. The noble next to him gave him a disgusted glance. Chiro smiled, revealing a mouth fool of corn and sausage. The noble gagged.

"I wonder where Sprx could be." Nova whispered to Antauri as he sampled a rather large carrot. Antauri shrugged.

"Who knows? However, I sense that he's fine. Are you going to eat those beans?" Nova sighed and slid Antauri her plate. Antauri cheered and began to dig in. Nova excused herself from the table, grabbed a pear for the night, and then proceeded to her room. _Where are you, Sprx?_ she thought. The calm voice answered her.

"_Why do you care? I thought you didn't like him?"_

_Not you again. Can't you leave me alone?_ The voice laughed.

"_That would be impossible, Nova. I am you, so I know what I'm saying when I tell you that your head-over-heels for Sprx."_ Nova shook her head, silencing the voice. She walked on in silence for a while, eventually rounding the corner into the guest hallway. She gasped when she saw what awaited her.

* * *

Sprx and Yitai walked through the castle. Yitai was taking him to the guest hallway where he'd be staying. They reached it rather quickly, too quickly for Sprx. Yitai turned to face him. 

"I had fun today, Sprx." Sprx smirked and bowed, causing Yitai to giggle.

"I am honored that you graced me with your presence today. Is there anyway I can repay you?" Yitai was about to answer when she heard a noise behind her. She cast an imperceptible glance behind her, and saw Nova rounding the bend. She was struck by a sudden idea.

"There is one thing." before Sprx could react, Yitai had pulled him in for a kiss. Sprx wasn't entirely sure what was happening, so he just stood there enjoying it. Yitai broke the kiss and bid him good night. As she walked away, she slid her tail along his chest, causing him to shudder in pleasure. All of this was done in full view of Nova. _That should help my cause,_ thought Yitai as she rounded the corner and disappeared into the castle. All the anger that had been building up inside Nova came pouring out onto Sprx.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, SPRX? WE'VE BEEN WORRIED SICK ABOUT YOU AND GIBSON, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING YOUR DAY NECKING IT WITH SOME TRAMP! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?" Sprx, who had been slowly shrinking into the floor throughout the tirade lashed back at the last part.

"_My_ problem! What's yours? Why do you care if I've been having a good time with somebody? She's not a tramp, Nova! She's possibly the most wonderful person I've ever met. She's kind, caring, loving, and she doesn't try and kill me at every turn like _some _people I know. I was able to get ice cream and go ice skating with her without a single slap. Or a punch. Or a kick. Or any combination of the three." Nova roared back.

"Oh well _excuse _me. I didn't realize that this _bimbo_ of yours was so special. I'm glad you had fun ice skating and getting ice cream with her. I didn't know that you couldn't do that by yourself." Sprx spat back at her.

"It's different when you're with a girl. At least with Yitai, I can do those kinds of things. If it were you, princess, I couldn't. You'd be to busy bitching about the cold." Sprx covered his mouth with his hands after the last part. The look on Nova's face tore his heart in two. Her voice was choked up, and he thought he saw her eyes beginning to water.

"Well fine, Sprx. Enjoy your fun-time-girl. Why should I care? If you weren't on this team, I wouldn't have anything to do with you." She rushed into her room, slamming and locking the door. Sprx felt his whole world come crashing down around him. Just then Chiro and Antauri came tearing around the corner.

"Nova, what's wrong?" Chiro noticed Sprx at the opposite end of the hall, anger and depression mixing on his face. Chiro didn't know what to do. "Uh, hey Sprx. Glad to see that you're ok." Sprx snapped out of whatever trance he was in, placing his usual smirk on his face.

"Hey, kid. Hey, Antauri. Glad to see you guys too. Where's Otto and Gibson?" Antauri answered him.

"They're still at dinner. Sprx, what happened? We heard Nova yelling." Sprx shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know. She saw Yitai giving me a smooch and went all ballistic." Chiro's eyes widened.

"Yitai gave you a kiss? Why? Who's Yitai?" Sprx waved his hands in the air.

"Wow, slow down, Chiro, one at a time." Chiro took a deep breath and continued as calmly as he could.

"Alright, who's Yitai?"

"She's some noble who showed me around the city today."

"Why did she kiss you?" Sprx smirked at this.

"Because she likes me. Duh." Antauri asked the next question, his voice was dangerously quiet.

"Do you like her back?" Sprx was caught off guard.

"Wh-what?" Antauri repeated his question, this time the smallest hint of anger entering his voice.

"Do you like her back?" Sprx became very interested in the palms of his hands. Antauri raised his voice. Chiro had never seen him like this. "SPRX!" Sprx's head jerked up.

"I'm thinking!"

"If you have to think, then you probably don't like her. Yes, or no?"

"Um."

"Yes, or no?"

"Well…"

"SPRX! YES OR NO?"

"I DON'T KNOW ANTAURI! SHUT UP AND LEAVE ME ALONE!" Sprx rushed into the only available room left, locking it behind him. Antauri sighed and massaged his temples. Chiro's face held nothing but confusion.

"What was that all about, Antauri?" The silver monkey turned to his young leader placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I hope that you and Jin May never have to find out, Chiro." Then, without another word, Antauri went into the sauna. Chiro was left alone to ponder it all. Suddenly, it hit him.

"Monkey doodle, this is bad."

_

* * *

_

_Nova watched in horror as Sprx and Yitai embraced. Sprx's hands traveled up and down the purple monkey's back, eliciting a moan from her. She in turn began to stroke his chest, snaking her tail around to work on his back. Sprx sighed into the kiss, licking Yitai's bottom lip, pleading for entrance. She gladly gave it to him. _

_Nova couldn't stand to watch the two monkeys exchange their passions any more. She grabbed Yitai by her shoulders and began to pound her face mercilessly. She punched and kicked until she could barely move, and then gasped in horror. The monkey she was beating was no longer Yitai. It was Sprx. Confusion and pain were all over the now crimson monkey._

"_Why, Nova? What did I do?" Nova let out a wail. She began to sob uncontrollably into the red monkey's chest, her tears mixing with his blood. He kept talking._

"_Why, Nova? What made you do this to me? What could you possibly have felt that made you do this to me? What?"_

* * *

Nova sat up in her bed, a cold sweat covering her entire body. Her sheets were a tangled mess from her tossing and turning, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. The calm voice entered her mind. 

"_Do you see it now? Do you see how much you feel for him? Admit it to yourself."_

_ALRIGHT!_ Nova screamed in her head. She took a deep breath and then said something out loud to nobody in particular.

"Sprx affects me more than anybody I've ever met. I get jealous whenever I see him and other females together. I want to kill them, because I feel like their trying to take him from me. I don't want to lose him. I now know why. It's because…because…"

"_Because..."_ the voice in her head helped her along.

"Because I'm in love with Sprx."

**

* * *

**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	5. Chapter 5: Admissions couple Admonitions

**Hello again, loyal readers. I'm back with yet another chapter in my epic yarn. But before you read it, I'm going to extend some thanks.**

**To:**

**Emerald Shapeshifter 777**

**beautybelle300256**

**Layla Fairy**

**I would like to thank you guys for your continuing support and patronage. You have all been kind enough to review every chapter from the beginning, and I am eternally grateful. Mad props for you all.**

**On a side note, I'd like to welcome ShiraXue to the story. Welcome aboard.**

**Like I've said before, SRMTHFG doesn't belong to anybody right now. Tarnation.**

**On with the show!**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 5: Admission couple Admonitions**

The Dining Hall was now almost completely empty. All of the nobles had disappeared from the table at one point or another, leaving Gibson and Otto alone with Mubra, Arbum, and the King and Queen. King Grom was currently on his seventeenth helping of dinner, making Gibson wonder how on earth the king was so physically fit. Queen Roesat sat sipping a glass of cranberry juice, watching her husband chow down with an amused and loving expression. Otto and Arbum had broken off of their discussion of the generator for the night, and Arbum was currently laughing at some of the more humorous adventures of the Hyper Force, as told by Otto.

"So you guys put a doll of female Chiro in his bed? That's so _bad_." Arbum accentuated the last part with a flirtatious look, causing Otto to blush and rub his neck nervously.

"Yeah, well, Sprx and Nova thought it would be funny, so I went along with it. It was pretty easy to build." Arbum giggled and lightly punched Otto on the arm.

"You little rascal." Otto smiled, trying to hide his embarrassment. He launched into another story, this one about the time when the monkey team had had a splash battle in the Shuggazoom city swimming hole. Gibson watched his friend out of the corner of his eye, feeling very happy for the goofy green monkey. He turned back to Mubra, who was slicing a piece of banana cake in half so the two of them could share. Gibson smiled warmly at her, which caused her to blush. She handed him a fork and proceeded to eat her own piece. Gibson took a large piece of the cake and placed it in his mouth, chewing it slowly and deliberately. It was one of the most delicious things he had ever tasted. He turned to Mubra, a large grin on his face.

"It's positively scrumptious. The fact that it is a rather healthy source of potassium does not seem to harm its taste." Mubra giggled, continuing to eat her own slice of the cake.

Ten minutes passed by, King Grom managing to stomach another five helpings before he sighed, satisfied.

"Well now, that was a splendid meal. Is everybody quite finished?" The four remaining monkeys all nodded their heads, causing King Grom to clap his massive hands together. The sound echoed around the giant dining hall. "Well then, I believe it is time to clean up." Gibson was expecting servants to come out of nowhere to clean the table, so he was quite surprised when the king himself stood up. King Grom placed his massive hands under the table, and proceeded to hoist the entire thing as if it were weightless. Gibson and Otto watched in awe as the giant gorilla carried the enormous and heavy table clear across the room. He tilted the table into a large cart, pouring in the food and dishes. When the table was clean, he replaced the table and motioned for Mubra to follow him. Mubra held out her hand to Gibson, who gladly took it. As the king pulled the cart behind him, he turned to the queen. "I shall return to our chambers as soon as I am done, Roesat." The queen smiled at her husband.

"I'll be waiting, Gromy." Gibson was surprised and amused to see the faintest hints of a blush on the enormous king's face. The gorilla pulled the cart down the halls, Gibson and Mubra in tow. Gibson turned to the brown monkey, a question buzzing around his mind.

"Where are we going to, Mubra?" It was King Grom who answered Gibson, not Mubra.

"We are traveling to the Grand Portal Room, Master Gibson. There we shall make our offering of friendship to the Great Portal, as we do every week upon this day." Mubra nodded in confirmation, making Gibson change his perspective of this society yet again. The small group walked on in silence for a few minutes, eventually arriving at the two largest doors Gibson had ever seen. Mubra walked up to them, holding out her hands as she spoke.

"Great Portal, we come bearing our offering of friendship. I have brought with me your good friend King Grom, who brings with him the offering. I have also brought someone very dear to me. His name is Gibson, and he wishes to see your glory, if it pleases you." A loud and commanding voice rang out from the door. It commanded utter reverence, but Gibson sensed in it a good-natured soul.

"So, you've met somebody new, eh Mubra? Well I can't say I'm surprised you're leaving me. Not much future for a pretty monkey with a swirling pit of ooze, is there?" Mubra giggled at this, which soothed Gibson's rising suspicion. Mubra pointed at the door and made a crazy sign, which received a mock angry reply from the voice.

"I'll have you know that I am not crazy, Gibson. Mubra can be a bit harsh sometimes. Please enter, my friends. The doors opened inwards, once again pulled by an unseen force. King Grom went in first, pulling the large cart behind him. Mubra and Gibson brought up the rear, their hands and tails intertwined. The doors closed soundlessly behind them, leaving the three simians in complete darkness. Suddenly, the blinding flash of light came, and Gibson was once again forced to blink a couple of times to settle his vision. The sight that greeted him when he could see was more amazing than anything he had expected. He spoke in a small voice, made even smaller by the grand spectacle before him.

"Wow."

* * *

I bid you two good night." Queen Roesat bowed to Otto and Arbum, who quickly returned the gesture. Arbum spoke I n a respectful tone. 

"May your sleep be peaceful, Queen Roesat." The queen smiled mischievously.

"Quite on the contrary, Arbum. I hope it will be anything but." The two females giggled, leaving Otto to work out what the queen meant. It hit him at last, causing him the blush at the bedroom talk. The queen gave Arbum a good night hug, and then made for her chambers, where she would await the return of her husband. Arbum slid her hand into Otto's and led him in the opposite direction of the queen, back to the guest hallway. They arrived a few minutes later, Arbum bidding Otto good night at his door. As she turned to leave, Otto reached out and turned her around, causing both of them to blush. Otto suddenly found something very interesting about his feet.

"Uh, Arbum? I was wondering, um, if there was a, er, place in the city that serves…pancakes?" Arbum was caught off guard by the question, and also a little bit disappointed. She hid it and nodded her head. Otto continued, this time his nervousness causing him to stutter uncontrollably. "W-well, I was w-wondering if y-you want to…want to…want to…" An expression of pure joy and delight was appearing on Arbum's face. She held Otto's hands in hers, giving them a comforting squeeze. She helped him along.

"If I wanted to what, Otto?" Otto gazed into her beautiful eyes, so filled with hope and compassion. All of his nerves melted away.

"I was wondering if you wanted to get some pancakes with me tomorrow morning." Arbum squealed and pulled the green monkey into a kiss. Otto became rigid, but not as rigid as Arbum when she realized what she had done. The two monkeys stood there for a fraction of a second, their lips touching. Then the two melted, and took up the kiss in earnest. Arbum jumped on Otto, wrapping her legs around his waist and running her tail up and down his side as she rubbed his chest. Otto wrapped one arm around her back and began reaching for the door knob with his free hand. He got the door open and the intertwined pair backed into Otto's room, the green monkey somehow managing to close and lock the door behind him. The two fell back onto his bed, Arbum landing on top of a surprised Otto. The two broke the kiss for air, feeling relief in their lungs but longing in their hearts. Arbum began to trace patterns on Otto's chest with her tail, whispering into his ear.

"So, metal head, you want to do something?" Otto blushed at the nickname, not really sure what to say.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I mean, we just met, Arbum. I'm not very knowledgeable about relationships, but isn't this going a bit fast?" Arbum began to nuzzle his neck while simultaneously running her fingers up his sides, causing him to shudder in pleasure. Arbum whispered into his ear again.

"Not fast enough, if you ask me." Otto's blush deepened as he searched himself for an answer. A small voice spoke in the back of his mind.

"_Yes, Otto. You know you want to. You know it's right."_ Otto was surprised by the answer to his thoughts, but decided to pursue it.

_Who are you?_

"_Why, I'm Sprx's conscience. He's not listening to me right now, so I thought I'd help you."_ Otto's eyes widened for two reasons. One of them was because of the voice's answer. The other reason was because Arbum was doing something very enticing. Otto forced himself to answer the voice.

_Are you being serious?_ The voice laughed in a manner that reminded Otto of himself.

_No, I'm your conscience. We consciences can't just go to other people. But what I said earlier stands. You want it and you now that it's right. You can feel it."_ The voices presence disappeared once again into Otto's mind, leaving the green monkey once again with the beautiful goddess who was currently straddling him. She kissed him lightly on the lips.

"What do you say, my little mechanic?" Otto's answer was to pull her in for a long and passionate kiss.

* * *

Antauri closed the sauna door behind him, walking towards his room. As he passed by Otto's room, he was surprised to hear noises coming from inside. Worried for his friend's safety, Antauri placed his ear against the door and listened in. A deep blush appeared on the robotic monkey's face, which was no small feat. He drew away from the door, not entirely sure what to do. He reflected on it for a minute, and then continued on his way towards his room. 

"I'll just have to trust that Otto knows what he's doing. If I can be happy for Gibson, I can be happy for Otto." Antauri smiled at the thought of his two dear friends and their respective partners. "Perhaps our crash landing here was not such a bad thing after all. But then again…" Antauri cast a glance at Nova's door, and then at Sprx's. He sighed and entered his room, torn between his happiness for Gibson and Otto and the despair he felt for Sprx and Nova. The two had been so closely connected through the Power Primate. Antauri had felt the link every time one of the pair had saved the other. To see them now, apparently torn from each other forever by one minute of insanity, was a grave weight on the silver monkeys mind. "I'll have to talk to Nova tomorrow. She'll be more willing to talk to me than Sprx would." With that notion, Antauri crawled into his bed and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Wow." Gibson was standing in the largest room he had ever been in. The center of the room was taken up by a large pit of the swirling ooze that was responsible for portal travel. Forming a triangle around the pit were the three monkeys that were so prevalent in the kingdom. In his research, Gibson had learned that the names of these monkeys were Har, Mo, and Ny. They were the three monkeys who discovered how to use the tar as a means of instantaneous transportation, aka the portals. The ceiling of the room was a giant stained glass mural of the city, although it was hard to see because there was no sunlight shining through. King Grom approached the pit, the cart of food in tow. 

"You look well, Great One." A great echoing laugh came from the pit, filling the entire room with its joy.

"Yes, I feel well. Last weeks meal was scrumptious, Grom. Your chefs are indeed top notch." Grom smiled at the pit while he easily hoisted the cart above his massive shoulders.

"This week I have a special treat, Great One. I saved you some of my favorite banana-cream pie." The pit made a lip-smacking sound that reverberated off of the glass dome.

"Grom, old friend, you spoil me. Do you know that? I'll be fat and unable to fit in this pit if you keep feeding me so much." King Grom laughed at his friend and poured the contents into the ooze, watching as it slowly sank into the depths. A sudden belching sound emanated from the pit, accompanied by a downpour of the silverware that had found its way into the cart. King Grom smiled.

"Thank you for returning the plates and silverware, Great One." The pit chuckled softly.

"Not a problem, Grom. It's the least I could do. You run along now, and give Roesat my best." The king smiled and bowed to the pit, then spun around and exited the room, returning to his waiting wife. Gibson and Mubra were left alone with the giant pit, an awkward silence hovering over the three of them. The pit made a noise that sounded like it was clearing its throat. "Well, you two should run along as well. That meal has me feeling sleepy. Good night, Mubra. Good night, Gibson. You two take it easy, you here?" The two monkeys blushed considerably at this, but were greeted by snores coming from the ooze. Mubra chuckled, breaking the strain of the moment.

"I guess we should be getting to bed, Gibson. It is rather late, and I anticipate that tomorrow is going to be a big day. Shall we?" Mubra gestured towards the door with her free hand. Gibson smiled at her and nodded, and the couple made their way out of the room and back to the guest hallway. They arrived at their destination much too quickly for either of them, so they stood there in the hallway, hands and tails intertwined. It was Mubra who finally decided it was time to sleep. She turned to her blue lover, a smile on her face.

"Well, I bid you good night, Gibson." She leaned in and kissed him on his cheek, and then promptly spun around and began to walk off. Gibson was suddenly overcome by an impulse. He reached out and grabbed her, pulling her into a passionate kiss. The brown monkeys eyes shot open at Gibson's sudden action, but slowly closed as the passion of the moment overtook her. She wrapped her hands around the blue monkey's neck, pulling him as close as possible. Mubra slid her tongue across his bottom lip, earning her immediate entrance. She began exploring every nook and cranny of his mouth, memorizing the feel of it all. Gibson began to massage Mubra's back, earning him a moan as he worked her back harder. The two began to feel dizzy and were forced to break apart for air. They stood there panting, each looking at each other, desiring more. Suddenly a voice snapped them out of their trance.

"Just my luck to find my brother smooching." Gibson and Arbum whirled around, only to find a smirking Sprx halfway out of the kitchen door. He had a half-eaten gallon tub of strawberry-banana ice cream held in his tail, and a scoop full of the ice cream was lingering inches from his face. His smirk grew at the embarrassment on Gibson and Arbum's faces. Suddenly, the red monkey seemed to mature fifteen years into the future, and began to back into the kitchen. "Sorry to disturb you guys. I'll just be going now." Gibson was about to tell Sprx that that was the best idea he had ever heard come out of Sprx's mouth, but Mubra spoke first.

"That's quite alright, Master Sprx. I was just on my way to my room." Mubra turned back to Gibson, who was doing a pretty bad job at hiding the disbelief on his face. She smiled as she leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips, which made him smile. "Good night, Gibby." Gibson raised an eye ridge at the nickname, but secretly enjoyed it.

"Good night, my sweet." Mubra giggled, bade Sprx a good night, and then made her way down the hall, swaying her hips for Gibson. The blue monkey watched her the whole way, unaware that he was being scrutinized by a now smirking Sprx.

"Well, well, bro. Never took you to be a ladies man." Gibson snapped out of his daze and turned to his brother, the anger he had felt earlier when Sprx had ruined his and Mubra's moment returning.

"Women are often attracted to nice and respectable men, ones that respect them as people and not as pleasure machines. That's something that a no-good pervert like you will never understand." All the sweetness of Gibson's insult was driven away by the hurt look on Sprx's face. Gibson had expected his red-furred brother to lash back at him, like he always did. Sprx's response caught Gibson completely off guard.

"I'm not just a pervert, you know." Sprx had spoken quietly, as if he was just thinking out loud. The red monkey ate another scoopful of the ice cream, and then proceeded to head towards his room. His shoulders were sagging and it seemed like the joy and energy that always emanated from him had been sucked away. Gibson was worried, for he had never seen his brother this depressed. He ran after him, placing a comforting hand on the red monkey's shoulder.

"I know you're not just a pervert, Sprx. It's just that sometimes you do things that well, make one question your true character. You need to be a little more respectful of others, especially towards women. I mean, maybe if you were a little more respectful of Nova, she might not smack you around so much." Sprx turned to his blue brother, trying to decide what he should tell him Gibson wasn't the monkey Sprx would usually turn to about feelings, but he was his brother. Sprx sighed and readied himself.

"Yeah, Gibson, I know all of that. I just can't control myself sometimes. It's like there's two sides of me, one a perverted jerk, the other a kind and caring hero. The perverted side is the one that always seems to come out on top. It's often in charge so much that I sometimes forget I have a caring side. Whenever I need to get something off of my chest, I always seem to cover it up with a perverted wise crack." Gibson stood there, absorbing all his brother told him like a sponge. He wouldn't usually give Sprx two seconds of his time, but some sort of older brother instinct had kicked in, causing him to listen attentively. He nodded his head as Sprx paused, trying to gather his thoughts.

"Well, Sprx, is there anything you want to tell me now? While your perverted side seems to be at bay?" Sprx ingested another scoopful of the ice cream, causing Gibson to realize just how much the red monkey had eaten. "Good lord, Sprx! You've eaten nearly a full gallon of ice cream! What's the matter? Over consumption of ice cream is often a sign of extreme depression." Sprx was about to eat another scoopful when Gibson reached out and pulled the scoop away from him. The blue monkey sampled the ice cream, making a face at the taste.

"I thought you hated bananas, Sprx. Since when do you eat strawberry-banana ice cream?" Something clicked in Gibson's mind as he said this, his eyes snapping open as realization dawned on him. He looked at the ice cream, the meaning of the coloring finally getting through to him. _Red mixed with yellow_, thought Gibson. He looked at Sprx in a new light, realization shattering Gibson's original views of his brother. "Sprx, did something happen between you and Nova?" At this, Sprx's eyes widened in horror as he scanned his surroundings, as if he expected the yellow warrior to suddenly appear and begin her tirade anew. Of course, Gibson had no idea why Sprx was so scared, as he had not witnessed the fight. His concern grew when he saw Sprx curl up in a ball on the floor, muttering to himself in an almost deranged fashion.

"I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it. I didn't mean it." Sprx was staring off into nothing, but he was stroking the tub of ice cream as he spoke, as if he was soothing its temper. Gibson had never seen anything quite like this. He was used to Sprx being entirely in-control and self-confident. The red monkey he saw before him was nothing like the mental image Gibson had of his brother. The blue monkey squatted next to the crazed red simian, trying to calm him down.

"Easy, Sprx. What didn't you mean to do?" Sprx turned to his brother, fear and desperation mingled in his eyes.

"She wouldn't bitch about the cold. I shouldn't have said it. Didn't mean it. Wouldn't bitch." Sprx returned to his deranged mutterings, stroking the tub the entire time. Gibson was at a loss for what to do. He decided that the only thing left to do was to get Antauri. He spoke to Sprx in a soothing tone.

"Sprx, I'm going to get Antauri. You w-" But Gibson was cut off by a wailing Sprx.

"NO! Not Antauri! The questions! The awful questions! Yes or no, Sprx? YES OR NO?" Sprx curled up even tighter on the floor, placing the ice cream tub over his head like a helmet. He continued ranting in a sing-song voice, always coming back to the yes or no. Gibson was now completely at a loss for what to do. Getting Antauri was obviously a bad idea. He was struck by a sudden thought. _The ice cream! He's had too much of it! He's hallucinating and going out of his mind from the over consumption._

Gibson rushed into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later with a steaming cup of chicken soup. He was frightened when he found the hallway empty. Then, he noticed that the door to the sauna was open. He cautiously approached the door opening it to find Sprx with the ice cream tub still on his head. Sprx seemed oblivious to Gibson's presence, his continued ranting sending shivers down Gibson's spine.

"Nice and warm here, Nova. No cold here. Safe and sound. Didn't mean it. Yes or no?" Gibson sat down next to Sprx, putting a comforting arm around his brother. The red monkey turned to look at Gibson, his eyes puffy from crying and hysteria. Gibson gave Sprx the cup and told him to drink. Sprx complied, and drank the soup, calming down slightly when he was done. The red monkey looked around, apparently just realizing where he was. He turned to Gibson, a pained expression on his face.

"What have I been doing, Gibson? I've got a headache the size of Shuggazoom." Gibson smiled at his simian brother, pulling the ice cream tub off of his head as he spoke.

"You've been, shall we say, out of your mind." Sprx gaped at the tub Gibson was holding in his hands. The red monkey reached up and wiped some left over ice cream off of his head.

"I ate that whole gallon of ice cream? Gosh, what's wrong with me?" Gibson raised an eye ridge at this.

"Actually, Sprx, I was hoping you could tell me that. While you were, er, out of it, you said some interesting things." Sprx's face turned a shade redder when he heard this, and it wasn't from the heat in the steam room.

"What did I say that was so interesting?" Gibson cleared his throat, trying to approach the situation carefully.

"Well, a lot of it was complete gibberish. But there were some lines that you repeated on numerous times." At this, Sprx's eyes widened in horror as he prepared for the worst.

"Such as?" Gibson looked his brother straight in the eye as he spoke, firmness and compassion mingled in the blue monkey's eyes.

"The lines you repeated the most were: 'I didn't mean it,' 'She wouldn't bitch about the cold,' and 'Yes or no.' Now tell me, Sprx, what does all of this mean." Sprx had a sudden attraction to a loose screw on the bench. Gibson cleared his throat, causing Sprx to answer him, still not looking at the blue monkey.

"It's just like you said. I was out of it, and most of it was complete gibberish. Nothing else to it." Gibson had had enough of it.

"Damn it , Sprx!" the blue simian brought his fist down hard on the tub of ice cream, causing it to collapse and send the remnants of its contents all over the room. Sprx didn't even bother to wipe the goop off his face, as it was rapidly melting. Gibson had a fierce look in his eyes as he spoke. "Damn it, Sprx! I'm your brother! You can tell me, _anything_. I'll listen to you. I may not like it, but I'll listen and think no less of you. Brother's honor." Gibson held out his hand to Sprx. The red monkey eyed it as if it were going to bite him, but eventually calmed himself down and took it. The brother's gave each other an affectionate squeeze, after which Sprx felt calm enough to speak.

"Alright, bro, listen up. I'm about to tell you everything, but I won't repeat it. You ready?" Gibson nodded his head, causing Sprx to take a deep breath before continuing. "Today, I toured the city with Yitai. Arbum was going to take me, but she got called away on business. Yitai and I had a great time today. We got ice cream, went sightseeing, and went to the park; we even visited an ice skating rink. It was all in all a perfect day. Throughout the day, the two of us had grown close. _Very_ close. When we got back to the palace, Yitai showed me to this corridor." Sprx gestured outside, although it didn't distract Gibson.

"You're stalling, Sprx. Keep going." Sprx took another deep breath, and then continued.

"Well, when she was leaving, I asked Yitai if there was anything I could do to repay her for her kindness. She thought about it for a moment, and then she…she…well, she kissed me." Gibson's eyes shot open at this.

"She _kissed_ you? Is that why you're upset?" Sprx shook his head.

"No. Well, that's not it entirely. You see, she did it in full view of…of…of…" Sprx seemed like he was stuck, so Gibson tried to help him along.

"Who, Sprx? Chiro? Antauri? Otto?" Sprx shook his head frantically, causing Gibson to stop.

"No. She did it in front of…_Nova_." Gibson almost gasped in shock, the horror of understanding coming over him. Sprx began to shiver, despite the heat of the sauna. "I've never seen her so mad. She yelled at me, saying how worried they'd been, how scared for our safety. Then she yelled at me for necking it with some bimbo, and asked me what my problem was. I told her she had the problem, and that Yitai wasn't a bimbo. I told Nova that Yitai was the most perfect person I'd ever met. I told Nova how Yitai and I had gone ice skating and gotten ice cream. She got angrier, saying that she didn't realize that I couldn't do those things on my own. I told her that it was different with a girl. I also told Nova that if I had gone with her, she would do nothing but bitch about the cold." This time, Gibson did gasp.

"YOU WHAT!" Sprx put his head in his hands and sobbed.

"I didn't mean it!" Gibson relaxed at the sight of his distraught brother, placing his arm around the crying simian. Sprx seemed to calm down with the physical contact, collecting himself enough to speak. "After that, Nova got sad and yelled some more, and then ran into her room. After that, Chiro and Antauri arrived to question me about what happened. Antauri seemed really angry, and kept asking me if I liked Yitai back, ye or no. I told him to shut it and go away, and then I ran into my room. That's the story." Sprx turned to his brother, his eyes as red as his fur. Gibson had never seen his brother so emotional. He pulled him into a hug.

"Why, Sprx? Why did you say that stuff to Nova?" A sudden realization seemed to dawn on Sprx, and he cleared his throat.

"Well, Gibson, I'll tell you something that I've never told anyone in the entire world. I mess with Nova because I like to get her attention. It makes me feel like she acknowledges me. I love it when she hits me, because in that split second where our bodies touch, I feel a spark. I love her laugh and her voice. I love everything about her, especially her eyes. I spend my whole life trying to make her happy, because I never want to see her sad." Gibson tilted his head, confused.

"I'm not quite following, Sprx." Sprx looked at his blue brother, and swallowed a heavy lump in his throat.

"Well then maybe you'll understand this." Sprx cleared his throat and looked deep into Gibson's eyes, searching for that inner-brother that Sprx could tell anything to. When he found it, he worked up the courage to speak.

"I…Love…Nova. I do, Gibson. I love her with my heart and soul. I love her with every fiber of my being. I want to father her children. I want to spend every moment of every day of the rest of my life with her. I lover her, Gibson. I LOVE NOVA!" Sprx was breathing hard when he had finished, although inside o him he felt as if a great weight had been lifted. Gibson sat there, too shocked to do anything. Then, he reached out and hugged the red monkey, chuckling softly.

"I should have known. I should have known."

**

* * *

****Well, now we know how everybody stands. But what will happen next chapter? I'm not entirely sure, as I'm trying to juggle romance and adventure. It's not that easy for a male-type such as me, as we tend to be extremists. If you have any suggestions, comments, concerns, or if anything feels rushed or confusion, shoot me a review. I promise to try and clear it up for you ASAP. Until next time, amigos. **

**SAVE SEASON 5**


	6. Chapter 6:  Lies Told, Secrets Revealed

**So glad to see you all again. School's starting up soon, so I may not be able to update as much. Still, I'll try my best for you, my loyal readers.**

**The wonderful beautybelle300256 brought it to my attention that Antauri is a vegetarian, so I revised that part of chapter four. Nothing major, just a switch of a couple of words. Thank you, beautybelle300256.**

**Now, I know Sprx was a little OOC last chapter, but I think depression and being hopped-up on ice cream gives him a plausible excuse.**

**I don't know if anyone else feels like this, but I feel like I'm rushing around, making the story confusing. Shoot me a review if you agree.**

**Oh, and I'd like to welcome AnimeQueen17 to the story. Welcome to the party, your highness.**

**I don't own SRMTHFG. Too bad.**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 6: Lies Told, Secrets Revealed**

Mubra was practically skipping down the hallway, the passion of the kiss she had shared with Gibson still burned inside of her. She desperately wanted to be with him, but sensed that he and Sprx needed some family time. _Besides_, she thought, _I can wait. I lasted all these years without him, I can last a night._ Mubra was so wrapped up in her reverie that she failed to notice the purple monkey standing in front of her.

"Oomph!" The two monkeys fell to the ground, Mubra hurriedly helping up the other monkey. The smirking face of Yitai greeted her.

"Had a nice time with Gibson, did we?" Mubra blushed at this, but couldn't hide her enthusiasm. She gazed into her friend's eyes, pouring all of her joy into them.

"Oh yes, Yitai! This was the greatest day of my life. I've never been happier." Mubra suddenly became nervous, shooting Yitai a cautious glance. When she spoke again, it was with a respectful tone. "You do approve of this, Yitai?" Yitai seemed to think about it for a split second, and then smiled. She gave her friend a hug.

"Of course I approve, Mubra. I couldn't be happier for you." Mubra seemed to relax slightly, but her voice was full of dread when she asked her next question.

"Does…_she_…approve?" Yitai's face became like a stone at this, her eyes shutting quickly. A faint purple aurora emanated from the beautiful monkey as she did whatever she was doing. Mubra stood there, patiently waiting a reply. Minutes trickled by, and Mubra began to fear the worst. Suddenly, Yitai's eyes snapped open and a brilliant smile flowed onto her face. She hugged her friend tightly, joy spilling into her voice.

"She couldn't be more thrilled that you've found such a perfect mate, Mubra." Mubra's entire face lit up with a florescent smile. Yitai smiled as Mubra gave her a bear-hug, and then promptly began to skip off to bed. Yitai watched her friend go, keeping the smile on her perfect face until the brown-furred female was out of sight. Yitai dropped her act and sighed disgustedly. She pinched her eyebrows together, trying to curb her rising anger.

"Easy, my child. All will be fine, you shall see." Yitai didn't even flinch at the sudden emergence of the new monkey. The new arrival looked like an older version of Yitai, about middle-aged. Yitai looked at this new monkey with an angry fire burning in her brilliant green eyes.

"How can you say that? First Arbum allows herself to be tainted, and now Mubra is threatening to do the same. How will everything be alright?" The older monkey placed a comforting hand on the furious Yitai's shoulder.

"Worry not, my child. Your friends are blinded by love. You have eluded the grasp of this insidious emotion, and only allow yourself to feel lust and passion. You can help your friends to feel as you do; it only takes time and the willingness to act." Yitai looked up at the older monkey, eyes begging for more information. The mystery monkey smiled, ruffling the fur on Yitai's head.

"There, there, my child. We shall bring your comrades back into the light, worry not." Yitai was not to be deterred.

"But what of Arbum? She has been tainted." The older monkey sighed, but put on a smile as she spoke.

"Then she will have to be cleansed." Yitai's eyes grew huge at this, worry etched over her fine features. But she soon composed herself, nodding her consent.

"Yes, I suppose if we must we must." The older monkey smiled as a purple mist enveloped her body.

"Yes, my child. _We must_." Then the monkey was gone, leaving Yitai very much alone.

* * *

Gibson released his brother from the hug, looking into the red monkey's eyes, happy to see signs of life in them that hadn't been there earlier. Sprx stood up and took the ice cream tub from Gibson, placing it under his arm as he left the sauna. As he was about to leave, he turned to his blue brother, a genuine smile on his face. 

"Thanks, Gibson. You're a pretty good brother when your brain isn't messing you up." Gibson smiled at this, replying with his own good-humored quip.

"You're not a bad brother either, Sprx. Well, you are when you don't act like yourself." Sprx smirked at this and was about to leave when Gibson called out.

"You've got to tell her, Sprx." Sprx froze, one foot already out the door. He turned back to Gibson, fear and uncertainty circulating in his two black orbs.

"I know."

"Well, when are you going to do it?" Gibson crossed his arms, awaiting a reply. Sprx scratched the back of his neck with his free hand, trying to think of an answer.

"I don't know, Gibson. Maybe I never will. It's not as easy as they make it seem in the movies." Gibson decided to try a different avenue. He put on an annoying smirk when he next spoke.

"Unbelievable! The great Sprx, afraid of a little rejection? Ha!" Sprx's face flushed with equal parts embarrassment and anger. He rounded on the blue monkey; his voice sounded every bit as pissed off as the red simian felt.

"I'll have you know, brain strain, that I'm not afraid of everything." Gibson snorted and continued his attack; sensing victory was within his grasp.

"Of course you're not, _Sparky_. That's why you haven't told her yet. That's very courageous of you, Sprx." Gibson had never acted like this before, but felt as if it was the right thing to do. Sprx's reply confirmed Gibson's thoughts.

"Oh yeah? Well, let's see how you like this. By this time, two nights from now, I'll have told Nova exactly how I feel, in full view of the whole team. What do you say to that, brain boy?" Gibson smirked as he walked past his brother, patting him on the shoulder as he did so.

"I say Godspeed, Sprx." Sprx stiffened at this, and could only watch as his brother strode down the hall to his room. It was only when the blue monkey had gone through his doorway that Sprx fully realized what had happened.

"Monkey doodle! Me and my big mouth." The red-furred monkey walked back to his room, a cramp forming in his stomach that had nothing to do with the gallon of ice cream he had eaten.

* * *

A brilliant sunrise rose over the city of Paradise the next morning, releasing the city from its nightly slumber. Beautiful golden rays reached every corner of the city, brightening them with the promise of a gorgeous day. The glass domes of the palace sparkled in the morning sun, painting the hallways and rooms in multi-colored brilliance. However, there was one corner of the palace where there was no sun. In this corner sat Nova, her arms resting on the balcony railing as she stared out at the city, its brilliance lost upon her troubled mind. She sighed as she turned around and entered her room, the emotional weight she carried seemingly forcing her body to be perpetually hunched over. 

_Maybe I should just go and tell him now_. The calm voice answered back.

"_You can't tell him yet, Nova. You won't be able to. You'll stand there fumbling for words, and the next thing you know you'll be saying something mean and hurtful, putting you back at stage one. You've got to let somebody else know first."_ Nova's stomach was doing summersaults, and she could barely control her thoughts as she answered.

_But who can I tell? Everybody will laugh at me, or let it slip to Sprx before I tell him. Besides, what's the point if he doesn't feel the same for me? He loves that tramp, Yitai._ Nova's temper flared at the thought of the purple monkey. The calm voice spoke up before it was too late.

"_Easy there, Nova. If you go and kill Yitai, Sprx will probably never speak to you again, and where will that leave you?"_ Nova sighed as she curled up into a ball on the couch, massaging her aching temples as she did so. She decided that a good workout in gym would help to clear he mind, so the yellow monkey stood up and left her room, closing the door quietly behind her. It was very quiet in the hallway, as nobody else was up this early. Nova passed by Otto's door, and wondered when she heard what appeared to be two different snores coming from the green monkey's room. She shook her head at the thought, tossing it aside as a trick of the mind. She entered the training room without another stop and immediately went to work.

* * *

Nova stretched out before she began, attempting to prevent a pulled muscle or torn ligament. Next, she ran a couple warm up laps around the gym, getting the blood flowing in her veins. When she was done warming up, she strode over to the weight section. She worked on all the core areas of her body, knowing that a balanced warrior was also the deadliest. After she had finished toning her body, she went over to the training dummies. She practiced some basic maneuvers at first, but after a while began to utilize some more advanced techniques. She had been training hard for two hours when the door to the training room opened, revealing a snacking Antauri. Nova cocked an eye ridge at the sight of the silver monkey sampling a large portion of cotton candy. He didn't notice her presence until she called out. 

"Morning, Antauri. Did you sleep well?" The silver monkey paused, cotton candy half way to his mouth. He looked over at the sweating female, an idea forming in his mind. He placed the cotton candy on a bench before replying.

"I slept well enough, yes. What about you, Nova? It doesn't appear that you slept well or long." It was true. Nova had dark circles under her eyes, and her movements appeared sluggish due to fatigue. However, the golden warrior was not ready to admit such a weakness. She shrugged as she replied.

"Eh, I slept ok. Woke up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and it took me awhile to get back to sleep." Antauri shook his head sadly.

"Nova, please don't insult my intelligence. I can tell that something is bothering you, and I don't need the Power Primate to see it. Do you want to tell me?" Nova snorted and turned back to the dummy. Antauri sighed, but set his face and approached Nova. The yellow monkey turned to face him when he was almost next to her. Her voice had the slightest of edges as she spoke.

"Can I help you, Antauri?" The silver monkey simply pointed at the training ring, and Nova nodded her consent. The two monkeys took up positions on opposite sides of the ring, facing each other with grim determination. Antauri called out to Nova, his voice even and calm.

"Nova, I have proposition. If I beat you, you'll tell me what's bothering you. If you win, I won't ask you about the matter anymore. Agreed?" Antauri stood in the center of the ring, extending his hand out towards Nova. The yellow simian seemed adverse to the idea at first, but her pride seemingly got the better of her. She firmly grasped Antauri's hand and looked him straight in the eye as she spoke.

"Antauri, you've got yourself a deal." The two monkeys went to their respective corners, pulling out their weapons as they spun around. Nova raised an eye ridge in a cocky fashion, limbering up as she spoke. "Standard sparring rules apply?" Antauri smiled as he practiced a few swipes with his claws.

"What you mean is the only rule is that there are no rules." Nova smirked as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Whatever floats your boat, Antauri. I'm still gonna waste you." Antauri smiled as he got into his stance.

"We shall see, Nova. Overconfidence in one's abilities is a grave error." Nova rolled her eyes, and then yelled out as she charged.

"Yeah, but talking to much can piss off your enemies. Take this!" Nova's fist shot towards Antauri's face with blinding speed. The silver monkey had barely enough time to duck and roll out of the way. Nova turned towards him again and came at him with the same punch. However, when Antauri attempted to dive out of the way, Nova wrapped her tail around his legs, tripping him up. The silver monkey fell to the ground and soon found himself pinned by Nova. She smiled evilly. "Come on, Antauri. I expect better from the silver monkey."

"Then try this on for size." Antauri shot his hands behind his head, grabbing Nova by the back of her neck. Antauri proceeded to fling a surprised Nova across the ring, smashing into the rope border. Both of the monkeys were promptly on their feet, eying their respective opponent warily. Antauri made the first move, taking a swipe at Nova's mid section with his claws. As Nova sucked in her stomach to avoid the hit, Antauri made his move. He followed his claws momentum, allowing his body to spin. As his back turned on Nova, Antauri smashed his tail into her face, sending her crashing to the ground a few feet from the ring's edge.

"It's over!" Antauri finished his spin and launched himself into the air, preparing to land on Nova and pin her to the ground. As he was almost upon her Nova kicked out her feet, catching Antauri right in his gut. Nova smirked as the silver monkey landed on the opposite side of the ring with a satisfying thud.

"No, Antauri. I'm just getting started." Nova charged over to the stunned simian, grabbing him by the legs and then twirling him around at a high velocity. "Twirling and Hurling!" Nova released the now nauseous Antauri, sending him flying into the rope border. The elastic rope stretched back due to the force at which Antauri hit it, and then launched him forward like a bullet from a gun. Nova took a step to her right and then held out her left arm, neatly giving Antauri a clothesline. The silver monkey lay quite still on the ground as Nova squatted next to him. She smiled cockily as she spoke, enjoying her victory. "A deal's a deal, Antauri." Suddenly the silver monkey's eyes snapped open, and with a sudden move he had pinned Nova forcibly to the ground. Try as the stunned female might, she could not free herself from the silver simian, and was forced to admit defeat. Antauri allowed himself a small smirk as he let her up.

"I warned you about overconfidence, Nova. But you are right, a deal's a deal. Tell me what's bothering you." Nova sighed audibly, admitting defeat. She held up her hands like she was surrendering.

"Alright, Antauri, you win. I'll tell you what you want to know. You see…" Nova's voice trailed off as Chiro entered the room, yawning and stretching in an attempt to wake up. He stopped when he saw Antauri and Nova, quickly scanning his surroundings. A faint blush was on his face when he turned back to the pair of primates.

"Uh, this isn't the kitchen." Nova giggled at this, while Antauri just put on an amused smile.

"The kitchen is the green door, Chiro." Chiro smiled, embarrassed. He turned to leave, but stopped in the doorway.

"What are you guys doing, anyway?" Surprisingly, Nova was the one who answered.

"Oh, Antauri and I were just getting some combat training before breakfast. We're gonna find a place in the city to eat." Chiro glanced at Antauri, and an entire conversation was had in that split second. Chiro smiled and waved, leaving as he spoke.

"Well, have fun, guys. Try not to get into any trouble." Chiro disappeared into the hall, and a few moments later the sound of a door opening and closing was heard. Antauri turned to Nova and gestured to the door.

"Shall we go then, Nova?" Nova sighed, but forced a smile. The two monkeys made their way out of the gym and proceeded to find their way out of the palace and into the city.

* * *

Otto was awakened by the sound of running water. He opened his eyes, and was startled when he noticed that he was alone in his bed. However, his fears were soothed when he heard the sound of Arbum singing in the bathroom. Otto sighed as he laid back in bed, listening to the melodic sound of Arbum' voice. _Gosh,_ he thought, _she sure has a pretty voice_. Otto suddenly realized that he had to go to the bathroom really bad. His mind raced as he tried to think of what to do. 

_I can't go in on Arbum, it would be rude. But I can't go ask somebody else to use theirs without lying. Maybe I can hold it in._ A sudden pain erased all of Otto's hopes of that lost option. He took a deep breath as he approached the bathroom door, trying to calm himself down. _Easy, Otto. After what you did last night, this should be easy_. Otto noiselessly opened the bathroom, closing it silently behind him. He stole over to the toilet, trying to ignore the figure outlined on the shower curtains. He sighed as he relieved his full bladder, sweet bliss washing over him like a wave. Before he even realized what he was doing, he flushed the toilet. He watched in horror as the toilet water swirled around and disappeared into the piping. _Any second now,_ he thought, icy cold fear replacing the bliss of a second ago.

"AHH! COLD!" The shower curtain was thrown back, revealing a wet and dripping Arbum. Otto glanced at her, amazed at how the simple application of water added to her beauty. She had a flirtatious smile on her face as she spoke.

"Mischievous little rascal, aren't you?" Otto's entire face flushed as he heard this.

"A-Arbum! I d-didn't mean it! It w-was an accident, honest." Arbum smiled fondly as she watched her green lover trying to explain himself. She got out of the shower and walked over to him, kissing him gently to silence his explanation. She broke the kiss and nuzzled his neck, smiling as he hugged her to him. She looked up into his eyes, happy to see that the faintest of blushes was still on his face. She began to run her finger up and down his chest, speaking in an innocent tone.

"So, do you still want to go get some pancakes? I know this place that serves over 25 kinds." Otto's eyes popped out of his head at this, and he spoke with the faintest hint of awe n his voice.

"25 kinds! Gosh, that's so cool! We've got to go right now!" Arbum raised an eyebrow at this, speaking in an amused tone.

"Can I at least dry off first?" Otto blushed deeply again, earning a giggle from Arbum. She kissed his nose and then pushed him out of the bathroom. "Five minutes and we'll go." Otto began to jump up and down on the bed, exclaiming excitedly.

"25 kinds! Oh boy!" Arbum chuckled at his eagerness, and then continued getting ready.

* * *

Sprx paced back and forth in his room, his mind running at a thousand RPMs. He paused and took a deep breath, convincing himself that he could do it. His calm lasted until his fingers touched the door knob, and he began shaking al over. He slapped himself across the face. 

"Get a grip, Sprx. You can do this, no sweat. You've faced countless things scarier than this, so just do it." It was all in vain, however. No part of Sprx's body was functioning properly, leaving his mouth to blabber on, completely unheeded. He was brought back to reality by a sudden knock at his door. Quickly composing himself, he opened it to reveal a smiling Yitai. All his uncertainty washed away as he gazed at her angelic figure, his looming bet with Gibson momentarily forgotten. The purple female smiled as she walked into the room, giving Sprx a peck on the lips as she did so. The red monkey felt a pleasant tingling on his lips as she drew away, leaving him lusting for more. He could barely control himself as he watched her hips sway provocatively as she made her way towards his sofa. It was when she looked over her shoulder and beckoned him to follow that he lost control.

A voice in his head screamed in protest, but Sprx ignored it. He rushed over to her and twirled her around, pulling her into a passionate kiss. Yitai moaned as Sprx pulled her towards him, desperately deepening the kiss. The purple monkey wrapped her arms around his neck, massaging his back with her tail as she did so. Sprx smirked into the kiss when she began to work his back harder, beginning to stroke her side with his own tail. Yitai sighed as Sprx licked her bottom lip. She allowed him entry immediately, and seemed to have no intention of forcing him out. Suddenly the couple fell back onto the couch, breaking the kiss. They lay there, looking into each other's eyes, panting hard but lusting for more. Yitai, who had landed on top, began to nuzzle Sprx's neck, speaking as she did so.

"I came here to ask if you wanted to go get some breakfast, but I'm not hungry anymore." Sprx smirked at this, wrapping his tail around her as he spoke.

"Well I'm hungry, babe. And you're on the menu." Yitai smiled seductively, whispering into Sprx's ear.

"I'm all yours."

* * *

Nova and Antauri sat at the edge of the pond in the middle of the park, eating their breakfast. Nova had gotten a large ham and cheese omelet, while Antauri, being a vegetarian, had gotten a breakfast salad. The pair ate quietly, Antauri waiting for Nova to speak. She seemed to be eating slower than usual, as if she was hoping he'd forget the longer she waited. He wouldn't was what she seemed to realize as she finished her last bite. She slowly turned to him, gazing into his calm and caring eyes. It was like looking into the eyes of a father, or at least an older brother. She sighed, but worked up the courage to speak. 

"Alright, Antauri, what do you want to know? A deal's a deal, and a warrior never goes back on their word." Antauri smiled slightly, answering her back in a calm voice.

"I want to know what's troubling you and why. I know it has something to do with Sprx, and I have a few ideas. But I really want to hear the truth from you." Nova sighed and stared out over the pond, trying to collect her thoughts. Lying was out of the question, and she knew it. She took a deep breath and began.

"You're right, of course, Antauri. What's bothering me does have to do with Sprx. You have to understand, I was only able to admit to myself last night all that I'm about to tell you, so it won't be easy." Antauri smiled comfortingly and gave her shoulder a squeeze. Nova smiled slightly and continued.

"I'm really angry, Antauri. I think that it has to do with Sprx and Yitai. Scratch that, I _know_ that it has to do with Sprx and Yitai. I don't like the idea of them being together. If we had had this conversation before last night, I would have said that I didn't like it because Sprx doesn't deserve a relationship and because I don't trust strange monkeys. But now that I've come to terms with myself, I realize that I don't like it because I'm…because…I'm…" Antauri had been silently ingesting everything Nova said, but spoke up at this point, trying to help her out.

"Because you what, Nova?" Nova looked at Antauri again, her eyes pleading him to understand.

"Because I'm jealous, Antauri. _J-E-A-L-O-U-friggin-S!_" Nova stared hard at the ground, as if she were disgusted with herself. Antauri nodded his head wisely, everything he had gathered beginning to make sense.

"Let me ask you something, Nova. This is vital, so please answer honestly. Do you know why you are jealous? I believe I know, but I must hear you say it." Nova looked at Antauri, answering with her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, I know why." Antauri stared evenly back at her, his face and voice unreadable.

"Tell me." Nova gulped audibly. This was the moment she had been dreading the entire morning. She began to play with the grass, a very un-Nova thing to do. Antauri waited patiently for her to speak. When she finally worked up her nerve, her voice barely reached the silver monkey, yet every word rang true.

"W-well, it's r-really quite s-simple. I d-don't like the idea of l-life…without…Sprx." Antauri made a go-on motion with his hand, telling her to tell him why. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. But as she spoke, a little more self-assurance crept into her voice.

"And I don't like the idea of life without him because I like spending time with him. I like it when he makes perverted passes at me. I like his smirk and his laugh. I like everything about him. And I feel this way because…I feel this way because…because…"

"Why, Nova? Why so you feel this way?" Antauri stared at Nova, begging her to finish, to scream it to the world. He was quite surprised when she did.

"I FEEL THIS WAY BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE SPRX! I LOVE HIM WITH EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING! I WANT TO MOTHER HIS CHILDREN AND SPEND EVERY WAKING MOMENT WITH HIM! THAT'S WHY I FEEL THAT WAY! BECAUSE I-LOVE-SPRX!" Antauri smiled fondly at the steaming female, who apparently did not fully realize what she had just said. When she did a _huge_ blush consumed her face, causing her to hide it against Antauri's chest. Antauri felt her begin to cry, although he could tell it was from relief, not sadness or embarrassment. He patted her back as he spoke soothingly.

"There, there, Nova. Was that really so hard to say?"

**

* * *

****Did any of that feel rushed, confusing, or OOC? Please review this chapter if you bothered to read it, and tell me what you honestly think. It means a lot to hear anything.**

**Again, sorry about the delay. School's in full swing already and I may not be able to update every weekend. But I'll damn sure try.**

**You all stay beautiful and do your, sigh, homework.**

**Peace out and remember:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	7. Chapter 7: Pancaked

**Hello yet again, you wonderful readers. I'm back from Chicago and let me tell you, deep dish pizza kicks ass. If you haven't had it yet, you've got to try it, and soon. Oh, and the soccer game I saw was pretty tight to. I'm not the world's biggest soccer fan, but I can appreciate it. USA 2, Brazil 4. Nuts.**

**Oh, and to all of those concerned readers who e-mailed me about Sprx and Yitai and...uh...doing stuff, just read the chapter here. I promise, it'll be ok. No need to kill me.**

**Warning: Scenes in this chapter contain more swearing than usual. Be advised.**

**I don't own SRMTHFG, because it would be too beast to possibly imagine.**

**Alright, enough of my blathering.**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 7: Pancaked**

Otto and Arbum walked down the crowded streets, admiring the vibrant display that is city life. Little monkey children were _everywhere_. Some ran up and down the street, playing tag or hide-and-go-seek. Others were helping their parents in one way or another, such as moving boxes or hanging laundry. However, the majority of the children were crowded around a burgundy monkey who seemed to be selling an assortment of sweets. The monkey was quite elderly, and had a pleasant smile on her face as she watched the kids holding out their hands, waiting anxiously for candy. Otto's eyes bulged when he saw a large bar of chocolates behind the woman. He began walking like a zombie towards it, his hands outstretched and his mouth watering. He was about to grab it when the burgundy monkey slapped his hand. Otto rubbed the back of his hand, frowning.

"What'd you do that for?" The burgundy monkey had gone from a sweet, caring grandmother to a scowling, horrifying matron in a split second. Otto cowered in fear at the glare he received.

"What? You dare to act as if you are the injured party!" Otto pointedly meekly at his hand when he spoke.

"Well, you did hurt my hand..." Otto ducked as she took another swipe at him, and took off running as the band of children began to attack him.

"Candy stealer!" Otto rushed away, scampering through the city in an attempt to shake off the pursuing children. It was only when he lost them by ducking into an alley that he remembered something important.

"Arbum!" Otto was about to go back and look for her when a voice called from above.

"What?" Otto looked up to see Arbum's smiling face on the roof above him. Otto smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. Arbum chuckled at his embarrassment, tossing him down the bar of chocolate as she spoke.

"You really don't have very good social skills, do you?" Otto stared at the chocolate, not really sure what to do or say. He didn't have to think long, because Arbum was soon upon him, flirtatiously walking her fingers up his chest as she answered her own question. "Oh well. It's one of those things about you that _turn me on_." Arbum's lips had grown increasingly close to Otto's as she spoke. Otto was about to kiss her when she pulled away, wrapping her tail and his together. Otto smiled happily as the two went on their way, hands and tails interwoven. _Man, I'm lucky,_ thought Otto as he gazed at the love of his life walking next to him.

* * *

Otto and Arbum arrived at the pancake restaurant about 25 minutes later, not having been chased by a single mob of kids, which was a big relief for Otto. The restaurant had a rather plain look, with white walls and a blue roof. The name was interesting, however. 

"Big Dan's Pancake House for the Die-Hard Fan?" Otto asked Arbum as he looked up at the strange title, his stomach grumbling. Arbum chuckled as she gazed at the old sign, remembering good times she had had there.

"Yeah, cool name, huh? This used to be my favorite hangout when I was younger." She moved her tail away from Otto's and wrapped it around both of them, smiling flirtatiously into his happy face. "Although I think I've found an even better place to pass the time." The two shared a quick kiss, and then made their way into the restaurant. They were met by a chorus of wolf whistling.

"Wow there, Arbum. Who's the new man?" Arbum smiled pleasantly at the rather chubby monkey who called from the kitchen. He had pitch black fur, but looked white due to the flour that was everywhere on his body. He was wearing an apron that read "Tip the Cook. Kisses are welcomed too." Arbum answered back leaning her head on Otto's shoulder as she spoke.

"This is Otto, Dan. He's an honored guest here, so give him your best stuff." Dan laughed heartily, beckoning for the pair to join him in the kitchen. They made their way through the ramshackle arrangement of tables and booths. Wolf whistles followed them, but Otto could tell from the good-natured smiles that all was done in good-humor. As the pair neared the kitchen, they passed a table brimming with every type of pancake possible. As Otto looked back to see who was eating all of them, he saw that it was a cloaked figure. He chuckled when he read the back of the cloak, which read: "Sarcasm: It beats killing people."

Otto and Arbum entered the kitchen, and were soon assailed by a thousand different aromas at once. Otto let go of Arbum and began to scamper around the room, smelling everything he could.

"WOW! So many smells! Neat!" Arbum chuckled at her boyfriend's enthusiasm, giving Dan a hug before she spoke.

"How have you been, brother?" Dan smiled at the brown monkey, ruffling her hair fondly.

"I've been just peachy, big sis. Business is booming, as usual. Still, I wish you and Mubra would visit more often. Family is always good to see." Otto walked over eyes wide in surprise. He pointed at Dan, then to Arbum, and the back to Dan. He spoke with the slightest hint of awe in his voice.

"So you, Mubra, and Arbum are family? Cool…" Dan smiled broadly and gave Otto a crushing bear hug. The black monkey was quite strong.

"Yes we are. Can I assume that I'm speaking to my future brother-in-law?" At this, Arbum and Otto blushed profusely, drawing a delighted laugh from Dan. He took his sister up in a hug, crushing the three of them together. Just as Otto felt like he was about to snap, Dan let them go. He walked over to the stove and began placing all sorts of batters on it, whistling as he worked. He looked over his shoulder at the stunned pair, grinning as he called out.

"You two go grab a table. I'll bring the sampler platter out in a jiffy. That's all 37 kinds, by the way." Arbum giggled as Otto's mouth dropped open in sheer awe.

"37? THAT'S SO COOL!"

* * *

Nova let go of Antauri, composing herself as best she could. Antauri smiled at her, offering his hand as he stood up. Nova grasped his hand warmly, smiling as she allowed herself to be helped up. When she was on her feet, she captured Antauri in a tender hug, thanking him for all he had just done. Antauri patted her back and the two broke apart, beginning to make their way back to the castle. When they were about halfway there, Antauri broke the silence. 

"So what are you going to do when we get back to the palace?" Nova looked over at Antauri, gazing into his eyes and answering without a moment's hesitation.

"I'm going to tell Sprx I love him. Wow, it feels good to be able to say that." Nova suddenly seemed troubled, which worried Antauri. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as he spoke.

"Is something wrong, Nova?" Nova took a deep breath. _I've told him everything else_, thought Nova.

"You see, Antauri. I'm worried about how this will affect me as a warrior. Before, all I was concerned about was beating the crap out of my opponent. But if I tell Sprx how I feel, well who knows. What if I become too concerned about his safety and it makes me lose focus at a critical point in battle?" Antauri chuckled softly at this, eliciting an angry growl from Nova. "What's so funny, Antauri?" Antauri let go off Nova's shoulder, a broad smile forming on his metallic face.

"I find it funny that you think this will affect you as a warrior. If anything, your love for Sprx will make you stronger, because you'll want to keep him safe. And as for being worried about him, well that's easy. Of course you'll be worried about him. But you've always been like that. You have always been the first one to jump in and protect him, like one would do for someone they loved." Nova brightened noticeably at this, giving the silver monkey's hand a friendly squeeze.

"Thanks, Antauri. You really are the best, you know." Antauri simply smiled, and the pair of monkeys made their way back to the castle.

* * *

"You all come back tomorrow, you hear?" 

"I'll be back for dinner!" Dan laughed as he opened the door for Otto and Arbum.

"You're always welcome here, Otto." Otto smiled and gave Dan a high-five. Arbum laughed happily and gave Dan a kiss on the cheek and a hug. Dan blushed and closed the door when the pair had left.

* * *

Otto and Arbum arrived back at the castle entrance at the same time as Nova and Antauri. Upon seeing his yellow and silver comrades, Otto began jumping and waving excitedly. This amazed Arbum, as he had ingested no less than 75 pancakes. The purple monkey was worried that at any moment, her green lover would burst. Nova saw Otto and smiled, waving back. She and Antauri made their way over to the other pair, and the four monkeys made their way back together. 

"So what have you done with your morning, you two? Something productive, I'd hope." Otto grinned goofily at this.

"We were very productive, Antauri. Arbum ate five pancakes, and I ate 77." Nova and Arbum laughed at this, while Antauri smiled, amused.

"Yes, Otto, that is very productive." Otto simply nodded his head sagely. The four monkeys continued on their way to the guest corridor in relative silence. They came around one corner of the hallway just as Mubra was coming around the other. Upon seeing her sister, Arbum called out with a cheerful smile.

"Good morning, sister. How are you today?" Mubra smiled back pleasantly, slowly drifting towards Gibson's door as she replied.

"I'm doing quite well, thank you. What of you, honored guests? I trust everybody…_slept_ well?" She cast a quick glance at Arbum and Otto at the last part, causing the pair to blush profusely. While Antauri remained his usual calm self, Nova was not so controlled.

"No way! Our Otto having sex?" She pushed Otto playfully. "You little rascal. I never thought it would be you having sexual relationships. I was always betting on Sprx…" She broke off at a sudden voice that came from Sprx's door. It was unmistakably a feminine voice. Yitai's voice.

"Come on, Sprx. Show me heaven." Nova lost it.

* * *

Sprx and Yitai had been snogging for almost an hour now. While Yitai was enjoying it, it wasn't what she really wanted. She had made several attempts to take it further, but Sprx seemed reluctant. _That bitch Nova_, thought Yitai. _Why did she have to make this so hard on m_? Yitai tried yet again to get Sprx to play along, but the red simian seemed adamant that they not do it. Yitai suddenly picked up a voice outside in the hall. It was Nova, no doubt about it. Yitai smiled inwardly as she saw her opportunity to seal the deal. She broke the kiss and pinned Sprx down, straddling him provocatively. She put her face right in front of his and said, louder than usual: 

"Come on, Sprx. Show me heaven."

* * *

"Now, Nova, take it easy." Antauri's words fell on deaf ears. Nova transformed her hand into a metal fist, and then brought it crashing down on the door. Red splinters flew everywhere as the door easily gave way to the enraged female's strike. The sight that met Nova's eyes only intensified her enraged state. A surprised and guilty looking Sprx was currently being straddled by an apparently thrilled Yitai. Nova pointed at Yitai with her left hand, curling her right into a fist. When she spoke, there was naught but venom in her voice. 

"Off. Him. _Now_." Yitai gave Nova an innocent look, but proceeded to bring her face closer to Sprx's, who was apparently to stunned to move. Yitai ran a finger down Sprx's chest, causing him to shudder subconsciously. Nova had had it.

"On your feet, bitch. We settle this now." Nova smashed her fists together, challenging Yitai. The purple monkey's visage went from angelic and beautiful to cold and predatorily in an instant. Yitai got off of Sprx and took up a stance opposite of Nova. The two stared each other down and were about to begin when Sprx snapped out of his daze. As the two females flew at each other, Sprx stepped in with a speed he didn't, nor anybody else, know he had. Time seemed to go in slow-motion as Sprx grabbed Nova's arms with his own and pinned them behind her back, while at the same time entangling Yitai in his tail. The two females struggled, but soon realized it was futile. When he felt their struggles cease, Sprx spoke.

"What the hell is going on here?" The calm voice of Antauri answered his question.

"I believe it is obvious, Sprx. You're greatest fantasy has now come true. Two girls are fighting over you." Sprx looked up suddenly to see that his room was now packed. Antauri, Otto, Arbum, and Mubra were now inside. Sprx was still registering Antauri's comments when Chiro and Gibson rushed into the room,

"What's wrong, team? Gibson and I were discussing the portals when we heard…" Chiro's voice trailed off as the scene in front of him made it clear. Gibson said nothing, but was watching his brother intently. Sprx looked first at Nova, and then at Yitai.

"If I let you two up, do you promise to be god girls?" The answers came simultaneously; with equal venom form both parties.

"No!" Sprx sighed, but let them up anyways. The two females brushed themselves off, glaring daggers at each other the whole time. Sprx crossed his arms and began tapping his foot.

"Well, I'm waiting for an explanation." Nova's temper flared at this.

"You want an explanation, Sprx? Well here it is. I come here to apologize and tell you something, only to find you fucking some tramp. That's the explanation." Yitai snarled, spitting back a retort.

"Oh yeah? What were you going to tell him, then? What was so important that you'd interrupt are love-making?" Sprx broke in here, but was largely ignored.

"We didn't have sex!" Nova shushed him with a wave of her hand.

"Yeah, yeah. And as for you, miss noble bimbo, what I was going to say is none of your business. So fuck off." Yitai snorted and gestured to the broken door.

"I think if you're going to vandalize the castle I live in, I have a right to know why you did it." Nova's answer was the last thing anybody, even Antauri, would have expected.

"Fine. You want to know so badly? I'll tell you. I'll tell all of you. I came here to tell Sprx I'm sorry about my ranting. I did it because I was jealous. And do you know why I was jealous?" Sprx shook his head imperceptibly. "IT'S BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE YOU, YOU GREAT, STUPID, SEXY MONKEY!" Without warning, Nova pulled Sprx in for a quick and passionate kiss. The red monkey had little time to respond to, or even register, the kiss, because Yitai pulled him away and into a kiss of her own. Sprx's mind was on fire, as it desperately tried to make sense of what had happened. Sprx felt himself pulled by the tail and soon found that he was looking into the penetrating eyes of Antauri.

"I imagine that you feel quite pancaked right now, Sprx." Sprx just stared blankly, for the first time in his life not having any idea what to say. Yitai huffed and pulled Sprx from Antauri, placing him between her and Nova.

"It's very simple, Sprx. You can have me, power, and the greatest of all pleasures. Or you can have some two-bit tramp. It's you choice." Sprx didn't even think. He reached out and grabbed Yitai's hands, holding them in his own. As Nova felt her whole world come tumbling down, Sprx spoke.

"You're right, Yitai. It's very simple. I choose Nova." The room went silent. Then-

"WHAT! HOW COULD YOU CHOOSE SOME BITCH OVER ME?" Sprx answered back, cool as a cucumber.

"It's simple, Yitai. You choose who you love." He cast his gaze upon a stunned Nova, and said the words that he had always struggled to say. "And I love you, Nova." There was silence yet again. Then-

"Oh fuck, yes." Nova threw her arms around Sprx's neck, pulling him into a fiery kiss. Sprx responded instantly, wrapping his arms around her waist and bringing her as close to him as possible. Nova sighed happily as Sprx hesitantly licked her bottom lip, letting him enter immediately. Sprx eagerly explored every spot in Nova's mouth, memorizing the feel of it. Suddenly, Nova began to force her tongue into his mouth, and a brief wrestling match was had. Sprx soon gave up, however, and let Nova have her turn. Nova smiled into the kiss, relishing her victory. Sprx began to rub his hands up and down Nova's back, eliciting a moan of pleasure from the golden female. Nova snaked her tail around the both of them, pulling Sprx as close to her as she possibly could. At the same time, she began to rub Sprx's chest, causing him to shudder in pleasure, which greatly pleased Nova. The two monkey's continued their kiss until they both almost passed out. When they broke apart, they leaned on each other for support, panting hard but blissful expressions were on their faces. The two were about to go in for round two when a piercing shriek shattered the moment.

"VILE WRETCH!" Yitai leapt at Nova, a dark aura surrounding the purple monkey's body. Nova gasped as a Yitai jabbed her hand like a spear at Nova's throat. Nova closed her eyes, bracing for the pain. It never came.

"No, Yitai. This is not the way."

"Let me go, Arbum. She has wronged me. There will be blood."

"Listen to us, Yitai. This is not the way." Nova opened her eyes, and let out a small gasp. Yitai was being held down by Arbum and Mubra, but that was not what shocked the yellow female. Sprx was standing in front of Nova, attempting to shield her from harm. Nova's heart soared. Antauri's calm voice brought Nova back from her thoughts.

"I believe you should all go. Now." While his voice was as calm as ever, the silver monkey allowed just enough edge into it to make sure everybody got the message. Arbum and Mubra nodded their agreement, and proceeded to drag the struggling Yitai. The twin monkeys were just giving apologetic looks to their respective lovers when Yitai yelled out.

"This is not over yet, Nova!" Nova smirked, and then brought Sprx in for a quick kiss, causing Yitai to shriek. Nova broke the kiss, and winked at Yitai.

"No, I'm pretty sure it is." Sprx smiled happily, pulling Nova in for a longer kiss. Screaming and cussing, Yitai was dragged away by her two friends. When her screaming could no longer be heard, Antauri cleared his throat, causing Nova and Sprx to spring apart, blushing furiously. Antauri smiled as he walked over to the pair, taking their hands in his.

"I couldn't be happier for you two. But be warned, stay away from Yitai. Oh, and I'll be watching you two." Antauri squeezed their hands, and then left the room. Otto was the next to approach, a goofy grin on his face.

"Do I need to create another room for the cute little kids?" Nova blushed hard at this, while Sprx laughed and hugged his dear friend, whispering into his ear.

"I would, if I were you." Otto smiled and made his way back to his room, leaving Chiro and Gibson with the new couple. Chiro smiled as he captured his two friends in a hug, speaking in a joyous one.

"I couldn't be happier for you guys. I wish you the best of luck." Sprx hugged Chiro back, speaking his thoughts aloud.

"Thanks for the support, kid. And the advice." Chiro smiled and gave Sprx a thumbs-up, and then stepped back, allowing Gibson to say his bit. The blue monkey just stared at his brother for a while, and then smiled. He grasped Sprx's hand firmly, giving it a brotherly squeeze.

"Congratulation, Sprx. I knew you had it in you, brother."

"Thanks, brain strain." Gibson's smile broadened at this, and then he turned his attention to Nova. He gave her a hug, coupled with some parting advice.

"Take it easy on my little brother, Nova. He's still just a boy, after all." Nova smiled, running her finger down Sprx's chest as she answered.

"You know me better than that, Gibson. I never take it easy." Sprx smirked at this, wrapping his arm around Nova's shoulders and pulling her closer. Gibson snorted, but smiled as he left the room. Chiro followed shortly after, smiling mischievously as he closed the door.

"Play nice, you guys." Sprx's smirk increased at this, while Nova just waved it away. After Chiro had gone, Sprx turned to Nova, smiling happily.

"Well, what do you want to do, Novs? We could go grab lunch, or watch a movie, or…or…" The intensity of the look he received from Nova silenced the red monkey. Nova stared deeply into Sprx's eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck as she spoke.

"I think you know what I want to do, _Sparky_." Sprx smirked, nodding his head at the coach. Nova wagged a finger in his face, gesturing at the bed with her tail. Sprx's eyes widened.

"Show me how much you love me, Sprx."

* * *

"This is unacceptable!" Yitai was pacing furiously in her room, ranting at her two friends. Mubra and Arbum sat there silently, letting their leader relieve her temper. Yitai stopped pacing, rubbing her temples in an attempt to calm down. "What do I do, friends?" 

"I'll tell you what you must do." The three monkeys whirled around to see the arrival of the new monkey. It was the older monkey from the night before. Yitai ran up to her and promptly began crying into the monkey's chest. The new monkey stroked Yitai's head lovingly, trying to soothe her.

"What must I do, mother?" Yitai's mother smiled at her child, lifting her chin up so they gazed into each other's eyes.

"You must defeat this yellow cretin in a Duel of Honor." The three younger monkeys' eyes widened at this, Mubra working up the strength to speak.

"King Grom wouldn't sanction that." Yitai's mother smiled, although there was nothing pleasant about it.

"I have my ways to persuade people, dear Mubra. _I have my ways_."

* * *

**So there's chapter 7. Was everything ok with you guys? I liked the way it turned out, but that's just me.**

**Please, I ask you, if you read this, shoot me a review. I don't care if it's anonymous or not. I don't care if you flame the hell out of me. Just let me know what you think. Everybody has an opinion, and I want to know what you think about my story. That's half the reason I write the story.**

**Always remember:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	8. Chapter 8: Oh No

"**Amazing Grace" done by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guard is done solely by bagpipes, and is the second best song of all time. Listen to it.**

**I just want to thank all of my reviewers from last chapter, and previous ones as well. You people rock harder than the Rolling Stones. Get it? Stones, rock? It's only funny cuz it sucks.**

**Steelers beat the Bills. Hells yeah.**

**I don't own SRMTHFG, but if I did, you can bet your life we'd have had a friggin fifth season by now. Fo sho.**

**Draw back the curtain, and let the story unfold.**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 8: Oh no…**

King Grom wiped the sweat from his forehead, grabbing a swig of water to keep hydrated. The gargantuan ape grasped the iron bar in his hands, and then continued his daily workout. The king was a tireless worker, politically, physically, and mentally. He was a very smart man, with the cunning of a fox and strength of a, well, gorilla. He had a deep love for his people, and would do anything for them. That was why he had to work so hard at everything. He had to be able to defend them on all fronts. Squatting down, the king proceeded to power clean the bar, an unrealistic amount of weight located on either side of the metal rod. A knock upon the door caught the king's attention.

"Enter, please." The door opened and in stepped Yitai's mother. She gave Grom a friendly smile, making her way over to him as he spoke. "Ah, hello, Ingant. How are you this fine day?" Ingant hugged the king tenderly, trying not to get drenched in his sweat.

"I could be better, brother. There is a pressing matter that I must discuss with you." Grom looked at his sister, worry etched all over his muscular face.

"What is the matter, sister?" Ingant's face fell, and she allowed the slightest hint of despair to enter her voice.

"It's Yitai, dear brother. She has been deeply wronged." Grom's eyes shot open, and a terrifying growl escaped his throat.

"My sweet little niece, wronged? Who has done it, Ingant? They must be punished." Ingant smiled inwardly, sensing victory was within her grasp. There was no better person in the whole kingdom that could manipulate people like Ingant. She knew this, and it sometimes caused her to be a bit cocky and daring. She managed to keep her outer appearance in accordance with her character this time, however.

"I'm glad you agree, Grom. But it isn't that simple. You see, it is a matter of, shall we say, _mating_." A horrified expression appeared on the king's face.

"Dear lord, she hasn't been…_ra_-" Ingant shook her head furiously.

"No, Grom, thank goodness it is nothing like that. But she has been robbed of her soul mate. You know of the red monkey, Sprx?" Grom nodded, and Ingant continued. "Well, he and my Yitai were becoming very close. They almost bonded today. But just as they almost sealed their lives together, something happened."

"What? What happened?" Hate filtered into Ingant's pretty green eyes. She practically spat out her reply.

"_Nova_." Grom's face hardened at this, anticipating what was coming next.

"So I take it that you wish me to sanction a Duel of Honor between Nova and Yitai for the heart of Sprx?" Ingant gazed up at her brother, her eyes imploring him.

"Please brother. It is the only thing for it. Fate will decide whom the red one truly belongs to." Worry entered Grom's voice as he replied.

"But what of Yitai? If she should lose, then we would lose her." Ingant nodded.

"Yes, this is true. But we mustn't worry. There is no finer warrior on the planet than my Yitai. Save for you, brother." Grom was forced to accept this.

"You speak the truth, sister. Still, I don't wish to chance losing Yitai." Ingant was ready for this argument.

"She was the one who requested the Duel, brother. She is ready to die for the red one. Surely that is all the proof you need?" Grom rubbed the back of his neck, mulling it over in his head. He had been thinking for ten minutes when he finally came to a decision.

"Very well, Ingant. If it is what Yitai desires, then let it be. The Duel of Honor will take place tomorrow at dawn. We must spread the word." Ingant bowed to her brother, speaking as she departed.

"Thank you, dear brother."

* * *

Antauri finished carving something onto the toilet seat. If anybody should really need to find him, they would find this message. Standing up, the silver monkey stealthily made his way down the hall. He wanted to tell somebody, but time was of the essence. He could sense something terrible coming in the Power Primate, but what? He was going to find out. The silver simian closed his eyes and sought out the thing he was looking for. Or rather, the person he was looking for. 

_Where are you, Yitai?_ When he found her, Antauri's body turned purple. Quick as a flash, Antauri ghosted through several floors, arriving in an abandoned closet above the room Yitai was currently in. Ghosting just enough of his head through the floor to see, Antauri watched.

* * *

Yitai leapt at the wooden dummy, slicing its head of with a neat, spear-like jab of her hand. Without a second to rest, the purple monkey ducked under an oncoming spear, grabbing it with her tail. She mad a side-twist motion, flinging the spear back at the machine that had thrown it and neatly plugging the barrel. Not even thinking, Yitai back flipped over a charging dummy, caving in its head with her heel as she passed over. Landing neatly on all fours, Yitai swept her tail behind her, tripping the two remaining dummies. As they plummeted towards the ground, the dummies soon found their intended path diverted by two powerful strikes from Yitai's fists. As the dummies crashed down, Yitai stood up to view the carnage around her. The sound of applause caught her attention, and the purple monkey whirled around. Standing in the doorway was her mother, smiling proudly. 

"That little wretch Nova will stand no chance, my child" Yitai smiled maliciously as she ripped the head off of a dummy that was attempting to rise.

"Uncle Grom approved of my Duel, then?" Ingant nodded, and Yitai's smile widened.

"Sprx will be yours shortly after dawn tomorrow, my child." Yitai laughed evilly as she punched through the mid-section of a dummy.

"No doubting that, mother."

* * *

Chiro and Gibson walked down the hall to Antauri's room. They had just made an interesting discovery about the portals, and were eager to share their findings with the silver monkey. Chiro knocked quickly on the door, and then stepped back to allow Antauri to answer the door. However, Antauri did not come. Gibson and Chiro exchanged glances before the blue monkey knocked on the door again. No answer greeted them. Worried, Chiro tried the knob, only to have the door swing noiselessly inward. The room was empty. 

"Antauri!" Chiro and Gibson dashed into the room, scouring every corner in hopes of finding the silver monkey. It was when Chiro opened up the toilet seat that he found the answer.

_Gone on a mission. Antauri._ The letters had been scratched on the bottom of the toilet seat, where only somebody who desperately needed to find Antauri would look. Chiro called over Gibson, and the two pondered the meaning of the message.

"We'll just have to trust Antauri, Chiro. He is wise in ways we do not understand, and his absence may serve a greater purpose than our own." Chiro nodded and was about to answer back when a voice came from behind them.

"Is there a problem with the toilet, Masters Chiro and Gibson?" The two spun around to see King Grom standing in the doorway, a curious expression on his face. Chiro answered back, saying the first thing that came to his mind.

"I was just…showing Gibson how clean the toilets were, your highness." The king cocked a quizzical eyebrow at this, turning to Gibson. The blue monkey took up where Chiro had left off.

"Oh yes, King Grom. They are magnificent toilets. In all the travels I've had, I can safely say that these are the finest toilets I've seen. They're clean as a whistle and logically designed." King Grom seemed surprised, but convinced nonetheless. The mighty king cleared his throat before he next spoke.

"Well then. I have urgent news that concerns you all. Perhaps we should wait for Antauri to arrive." A calm voice answered the king.

"I am here your highness." Antauri stood, or rather floated, in the doorway. The king nodded, and motioned for them to follow him. The group proceeded to Sprx's door, which had somehow been fixed in the period since it had been broken. King Grom was about to knock when Nova's voice rang out from inside.

"Oh yeah, Sprx. That's the sweet spot." The group burst into the room.

* * *

Sprx carried Nova over to the bed, lying down on top of her. The yellow female ran her fingers along his back, gazing into his eyes. 

"You ready to show me how much you love me, Sprx?" The red monkey nodded, and leaned in for a kiss. His lips met the back of Nova's head. Sprx opened his eyes to find himself staring at Nova, who had rolled over onto her stomach. "I like it nice and even. Not to rough, but not to easy." Sprx hesitated, not certain what to do.

"Uh, Novs? I'm not sure where you're going with this." Nova looked up at him, eyes sparkling.

"I think it's obvious from my position just where I want it." Sprx winced, not really believing what he was hearing.

"But I want to see your face, Novs." Nova sighed exasperatedly.

"Come on, Sprx. Surely you know that you can't give me a back massage and see my face." Sprx let out a relieved sigh.

"Oh, a back massage. Got you." Nova replayed the conversation in her mind, trying to discern what was causing Sprx's strange behavior. When it hit her, she lightly smacked him with her tail.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Sprx. You're not getting lucky with me that easily." Sprx smirked at this, and then proceeded to administer the back massage. Nova moaned in pleasure as Sprx's hands worked the knots out of her back. It was heaven. One spot in particular made Nova's day.

"Oh yeah, Sprx. That's the sweet spot." Sprx was about to reply when the newly repaired door broke again. King Grom charged into the room, followed closely by a fuming Antauri.

"I can't believe you two would…" Antauri stopped mid-sentence, the scene in front of him registering in his mind. The silver monkey cleared his throat, shuffling his feet nervously. Sprx glared at him, but Nova was the one who spoke.

"Can't I get a simple back massage, Antauri? Is there something inherently evil about it?" Antauri did not answer. Embarrassment was evident all over the normally stoic monkey's body. King Grom, however, seemed strengthened by the scolding.

"Yes, in this case there is something wrong with it."

"What's the matter, your highness? Back rubs against one of your native customs?" Sprx said it as a joke, but a certain fear was evident in his voice. King Grom did not seem amused.

"This is no laughing matter, Master Sprx. Because of you, Nova has been challenged to a Duel of Honor by Yitai." Everyone, except Antauri, yelled out at this.

"WHAT!" King Grom winced at the noise, but continued.

"Yes, a Duel of Honor. It is a sacred event in our society that can only be sanctioned by the king." Nova's temper flared.

"You sanctioned this duel? Why?" King Grom stared coldly back at the yellow female, somewhat easing her temper.

"I sanctioned it because you have greatly wronged my niece, Nova. To steal one's lover is a terrible thing, especially when their essences have been intertwined." Nova glared at Sprx, anger and pain written all over her face.

"So you did screw her, huh? I should have known." Sprx waved his hands frantically, begging Nova to understand.

"No, never! You're the only girl for me, Nova. I could never go al the way with somebody who's not you. I'd rather die then do that." The strength of Sprx's defense touched Nova, and she hugged her new found love tightly. Sprx hugged her back, but the two were forced to separate by a none-too-friendly growl from King Grom.

"Sharing your essence does not require, er, 'going all the way.' One can exchange their essence through numerous physical contacts." This caught Gibson's attention, and the blue monkey spoke out.

"I believe that the essence King Grom is speaking of is Deoxyribonucleic Acid, or DNA. And he is right, as DNA can be transferred by any number of physical contacts. The saliva from a kiss, for example." Grom nodded at this.

"Yes, DNA and essence are one in the same, in this case. Master Sprx has now shared his essence with two females, both of which desire him as their own. By the law of our land, the ownership of Sprx's heart will be settled in a Duel of Honor." Sprx spoke up at this point.

"But I chose Nova. Why can't I stay with her?" Grom allowed anger to show in his voice.

"Because you shared your essence with Yitai, _Master_ Sprx. It is a terrible thing to play with a person's heart, which is why the laws are written the way they are." Sprx was not finished arguing, however.

"But even if Yitai won, I wouldn't be happy with her. Is that fair to me?" Gibson answered Sprx, not Grom.

"I believe Chiro can answer that question, Sprx." All eyes turned to the only human among them. Clearing his throat, the young leader spoke.

"Well, Sprx, you would be happy. But it wouldn't be a true happiness. It would be a happiness that comes with ignorance. You wouldn't be able to remember any of us. Whoever wins the battle gets the prize completely. Your mind would be altered by the power of the portals, and all you would know was the person you were bound to. They have complete control over what you can and can't remember." The room was quiet for along time before Nova spoke.

"Screw that. I'm not going to risk losing Sprx when I just got him." Grom shook his head at this.

"I'm afraid that you don't have a choice in the matter, Nova. If you refuse the Duel, then you forfeit Sprx to Yitai." Nova practically spat her reply.

"Then screw that. No way am I going to forfeit my man." Sprx smirked at this.

"Your man? I like the sound of that." Nova glared at Sprx, wiping the grin off of his face.

"Don't even start with me, Sprx. This whole mess is the result of you being a stinking pervert. After I wipe the floor with this bitch, we're going to have a nice long talk on the way things are going to be run around here." Sprx's entire face fell at this, but almost fell off when Grom spoke up.

"It's not a simple matter of beating your opponent, Nova. After you have bested them, you will be in charge of their execution." This time, even Antauri joined the chorus of voices.

"WHAT!" Once again, Grom winced at the severity of the noise. Nova was in disbelief.

"I-I've got to…_kill_ her?" Grom nodded.

"Yes, execution is mandatory. The losing combatant has proved that they are truly unworthy of the prize. But we are an understanding people. Losing something that dear to you is a terrible blow. Death ensures that one does not have to live the rest of their life with that feeling of loss." Nova was speechless, but Sprx somehow found his voice.

"Why don't you just wipe their memory instead?"

"Because their defeat has signified them as unworthy." Grom answered this as matter-of-factly as if Sprx had asked him the time. The King continued talking.

"The Duel will be tomorrow at dawn, Nova. Do you accept?" The golden warrior's reply was instantaneous.

"Hell yeah, I do." Grom nodded, and then turned to Sprx.

"You must come with me, Sprx. Do not ask why, because I can't tell you here." Sprx closed his half-open mouth, and then stood up to follow Grom out the door. As he was leaving, Nova spun him around and brought him in for a quick kiss. When they broke apart, Nova stared deeply into his eyes.

"Just in case." Sprx smiled, hugged his love tightly, and then followed Grom out the door and down the hall. The remainder of the team circled around Nova, offering their support.

"We'll do anything we can, Nova." The yellow monkey turned to her young leader, the bravery that always filled her eyes withering away.

"I don't know if I can do this, Chiro. I destroy formeless all the time, but I've never killed a living, breathing, thinking creature. I don't know if I can kill in cold blood like this." Antauri turned Nova to face him, his eyes boring into her soul.

"You'll have to be, Nova. From what I've seen of Yitai's capabilities and moral standards, she won't hesitate to kill you. That much is certain." Nova stared back at Antauri, digesting this new information. When she spoke, it was with the strength of somebody who is forming a plan in their mind.

"Alright then. Here's what we've got to do. Antauri, I'm going to need you to spy on Yitai. Record all of her moves and techniques, and then we'll download them into my memory." Antauri nodded and disappeared, going off to his assigned task. Nova turned to Otto and Chiro. "You guys are going to have to help me spar. I need to train like hell for this thing." Otto and Chiro groaned, but were nonetheless willing. Smiling, Nova turned to Gibson. "Gibson, I'm going to need the best food you can make. I'm talking every vitamin and mineral you can possibly get. Health is vital for this." Gibson gave Nova a thumbs up and headed off for the guest kitchen. Nova turned back to Chiro and Otto.

"Let's go to work, guys." Groaning, the two followed Nova to the training room.

* * *

Sprx followed King Grom through the winding passages, a thousand questions buzzing around in his head. But the red monkey sensed that this wasn't the time for his questions, so he left it alone. After 15 minutes of silent walking, Grom came to a halt in front of a large pair of doors. The king knocked on the door four times, and it swung open. The pair proceeded into the room, the doors shutting behind them. 

The room was dimly lit, and there was a profound smell of rat poop. Sprx covered his mouth with his hand, trying not to puke. _It had to be rats,_ he thought. Grom walked into the middle of the room and pulled a tarp off of an object. It was a large glass box, with gold plating along the corners. In the middle of the box sat a chair with shackles for the wrists and feet. Sprx didn't like where this was going. Grom gestured from Sprx to the chair.

"Sit." Sprx shook his head, which hurt because the smell was giving him a migraine. Grom gestured again. "Sit." Again, Sprx shook his head, braving the smell in order to talk.

"Why do I have to sit in some prisoner's chair in a room that smells like a rat's behind?" Grom looked at Sprx as if he were insane.

"Surely you jest, Master Sprx. This is your punishment." Sprx's eyes widened at this, and his mouth hung open, which in retrospect was a bad idea, due to the smell.

"PUNISHMENT! Why am I being punished?" Grom pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Because you have been playing with the hearts and souls of two women for your own amusement. This is highly disgusting, and deserves punishment. You will stay locked in this chair until the battle tomorrow, when you shall be brought to the arena for the battle. During that time, your surrounding will make your soul pure again." Sprx couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's just insane, King Grom." Grom growled menacingly.

"So is crushing a woman's heart, Sprx. That is why you will be punished." Grom snapped his fingers, and shadowy ropes shot from the chair and wrapped themselves around Sprx. The red monkey struggled in vain as he was dragged back towards the chair. Sprx soon found himself bound and locked by the ropes and shackles. The red monkey struggled a while longer, but eventually gave up. Grom closed the box around Sprx, and then knocked on it.

"This isn't ordinary glass, Master Sprx. This glass was created by the Great Portal itself for the sole purpose of being the container of the prize in a Duel of Honor. Only one who has shared their essence with the thing inside can open the box. So, only Yitai or Nova will be able to release you from this prison. _After_ the Duel, that is." With nothing more than a curt nod, King Grom spun on his heel and marched out of the room, leaving Sprx to try and think of anything except the smell of rat crap.

* * *

Nova sat in a meditative position next to Antauri, a cable connecting the two. Nova could see in her mind all of the moves Yitai had been practicing. It was unsettling how good the purple monkey was. Nova watched as her opponent destroyed four dummies in a matter of seconds using a technique Nova couldn't even begin to understand. Just as Nova was beginning to despair, something about Yitai's stance caught her attention. 

_Antauri, pause it_. The silver monkey responded immediately, freezing the image in place. Nova scanned the image, finally seeing a glint of hope.

_What is it, Nova?_ The yellow monkey did not respond right away, but continued to study the image. When she did respond, it was with an eagerness that hadn't been there for the past hour or so.

_Look at the way she positions her arms. They're close to her stomach, as if she needs to protect it. I think we may have found a weakness._ Antauri looked at what Nova pointed out, and smiled both mentally and physically.

_Excellent observation, Nova. I must agree with your analysis. We should resume training soon, so that we may take advantage of this._ The pair finished watching the rest of the mental video, and then returned to the training room. Chiro and Otto lay sprawled out on the floor, their bodies aching and bruised. Nova snapped her fingers, causing the pair to groan and stand up, leaning on each other for support. Nova had a determined look on her face and a fire burned in her eyes as she spoke.

"Alright, guys, fun times over. It's time for some serious training." Chiro and Otto groaned louder at this, but they set their faces and took up stances. Nova smiled warmly at them, her heart soaring at the support that everybody was giving her. She would win, she knew it. She would get her love back not just for herself, but for the family who helped her as well.

* * *

"This…sucks." Sprx had been stuck in the box for three hours now. He had about twelve itches in unreachable places, not to mention his eyes and head ached from the unbearable stench. The red monkey could only sit and suffer through it all. But, strangely enough, he didn't seem as miserable as he should. In fact, a small smile spread across the simian's lips as a thought came to him. 

_I wonder what Otto would say about the smell. Probably something goofy, like: 'Ew, it smells like Chiro's cooking.'_ Sprx laughed to himself, making the whole ordeal that much more bearable. Unfortunately, it seemed that the happier Sprx felt, the worse his discomfort was. Sprx realized that it came down to his choice. He could be miserable, and suffer less for it. Or, he could tell his surroundings to suck it, and just be himself. The last option felt slightly more his style.

"Bring it on, box. No way am I going to lose to you. Do your worst." The room grew insanely hot as soon as Sprx had finished talking, nearly forcing the red monkey into unconsciousness. Sprx smirked as he felt himself losing consciousness.

"You win round one, box." The red monkey dropped off into blackness.

* * *

Yitai finished off the last training dummy in the room, breathing hard but grinning. Arbum clapped enthusiastically while Mubra brought the purple monkey a bottle of water. Yitai nodded her thanks and drank deeply. Mubra spoke in a respectful tone. 

"Nova doesn't stand a chance, my friend. You will have Sprx to yourself after a mater of minutes." Arbum flashed a thumbs-up, showing her agreement. Yitai smiled, handing the bottle back to Mubra as she spoke.

"Thank you, my friends. After my victory, you will both be compensated for your help." Arbum waved it away.

"Pft. You don't need to repay us, Yitai. The happiness of my friend is good enough for me."

"The same goes for me, Yitai." The purple monkey's usually controlled face broke down at this, and she hugged her friends tight.

"I don't know how I found as good of friends as you." Mubra and Arbum were caught off guard by the sudden display of affection, which they did not expect from Yitai. The purple monkey gave them a squeeze, and then let them go, speaking as she did. "If you will excuse me, I must go and talk to my mother." The twin sisters nodded, and then the three monkeys went their separate ways. Mubra headed in the direction of the Portal Room, Arbum headed to her workshop, and Yitai made her way to her mother's room.

* * *

"What is it, my child?" Yitai and her mother sat in Ingant's room. Yitai looked at her mother, concern written all over her face. 

"When do you plan on cleansing Arbum?" Ingant's eyes flashed at this, and then she pulled her daughter close.

"It will be done while you destroy that yellow tramp tomorrow. That way, everything will be right." Yitai looked at her mother, uncertainty still lingering in the young female's eyes.

"But what about Mubra? What can be done about her?" Ingant laughed at this, which eased Yitai's fear.

"My dear child, do you really believe that this Gibson would stay with Mubra after you killed his dear friend? Not likely, dear child." Yitai laughed, her fears assuaged.

"You're right, mother. So with the defeat of Nova, all will be as it should be." Yitai and Ingant hugged, both of them laughing in a none-to-pleasant manner.

* * *

Arbum was tightening a bolt on the prototype generator when she felt a tingling in her right ear. 

_Can you talk now?_ Arbum didn't flinch at the voice in her head. She calmly told her assistant that she was going to the bathroom, and made her way out of the workshop. Once she was out of eye and earshot, the brown monkey ducked into a closet, locking it behind her. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, Arbum closed her eyes and concentrated hard. A long, thin, needle-like object extended out from her forehead. Arbum knelt down as a projector-like light shot from the needle, projecting the picture of two cloaked figures in mid-air. The brown monkey didn't look up as she spoke, keeping her head bowed in respect.

"Master, what do you require of your humble servant?" The taller of the two figures spoke, the voice practically dripping evil.

"I require an update on the progress of the plan." Arbum replied, still not daring to raise her head.

"All is proceeding as you said it would, master. At dawn tomorrow, the red monkey will be ready for you." When the voice replied, it spoke as if through a smile. A very twisted, evil smile.

"Excellent. You have done well, dear Arbum. I will send my apprentice and an escort to collect him at dawn." The smaller figure, who barely reached the larger one's knees, spoke out here. His voice was heavily oriental, with evil oozing out of it.

"Also, the good professor desires to know how the generator is coming along. It is vital for the plan to succeed." Arbum looked up at this point, her voice losing some of its reverence.

"With the help of Otto, I have figured out the last three problems with the generator. I was finishing up when I received the master's summons." The small figure growled.

"You will show me proper respect, girl." The taller figure silenced the small one with a kick.

"Silence, you fool. She has done well, and _you_ will show her some respect." The small figure practically whimpered his answer.

"Yes, my lord." The tall figure turned his attention back to Arbum, curiosity entering his voice.

"I sense you have not told me something, dear Arbum. What is it?" Arbum began to fiddle with her tail as she replied.

"I-I wish to ask you a favor my lord." The small figure shrieked at this.

"Insolent child! You dare to demand a favor from-ahh!" The small figure crumpled to the ground in pain, the tall figure having just struck him with a purple energy blast. While the small figure continued to whimper, the tall one turned back to Arbum.

"You have served me well, dear Arbum. State your request, and I will grant it if I can." Hope entered the brown monkey's voice as she spoke.

"I-I have developed a, a fondness for O-Otto. I would like very much to have him as my mate. If it pleases you, master." The small figure began to speak, but was silenced by another energy blast.

"I will be happy to grant this request, dear Arbum. Your offspring will prove powerful followers." Arbum's heart soared.

"Oh, thank you, master! I promise our children will serve you well!" The tall figure laughed at this.

"I know they will, dear Arbum. Now, we have detained you long enough. Return to the generator. It must be finished before dawn tomorrow." Arbum bowed her head yet again.

"Of course, master." The light faded as the needle retracted into the brown monkey's forehead. Arbum stood and made her way back to the workshop. As she began working on the generator, the brown monkey couldn't help but think about her future with Otto.

* * *

It was 10:30 at night. Nova tossed and turned in her bed, trying to get to sleep. She was exhausted from training, and needed to replenish her energy. But she just couldn't get to sleep. Her mind was running a mile-a-minute, a thousand what-ifs running through her mind. 

_What if I lose? What if I can't kill Yitai? What if we both kill each other? What if…?_ A knock on Nova's door gave the yellow female's troubled mind a break. When she opened the door, it was to find Antauri's calm face staring at her.

"Trouble sleeping, Nova? I believe I can help." Without waiting for a reply, the silver monkey placed his palm on Nova's forehead.

"What are you…?" Nova fell forward onto Antauri, snoring softly. Antauri smiled as he carried his tired friend over to her bed, laying her down under the covers.

"Sleep well, Nova. Tomorrow will be the most important day of your life." The silver monkey walked out of the room, still troubled by a feeling of impending doom.

Dawn would bring many things for the kingdom. Only time will tell what they will be.

**

* * *

**

**Wow, that chapter came out MUCH longer than expected. Oh well, I hope you guys liked it.**

**Please read and review. Por favor, per favore, s'il vous plait, bitte,** **alstublieft, please!**

**And, just because I don't think I can say it enough:**

**SAVE SEASON 5!**


	9. Chapter 9: S! Hits the Fan

**Aloha. How's everyone doing today? Sorry it's been so long.**

**School's in full swing, which means it sucks. Dang.**

**I need to say something. I received some troubling messages about the Spova scene last chapter. Some people think it was too smutty for a T rating. I sincerely apologize for this, and hope nobody took too much offense at it. But I also think people didn't read the whole passage. If you didn't then you missed the part where it turned out it was nothing more than a back-rub. I will admit the passage contained potty humor, but I think a teenager can handle potty humor, especially in today's society. If you did read the passage and still took offense to it, I once again sincerely apologize. I didn't intend to offend, I will happily rewrite if asked, and I hope you will continue to read and review my story. Thank you for reading this.**

**I still don't own SRMTHFG. And there's still no fifth season. ****Great.**

**Uno, dos, tres, catorce!**

Stranded on Ariralue

**Chapter 9: S#! Hits the Fan**

Sprx's eyes fluttered open, but he quickly closed them. The heat, smell, and itching were driving the red monkey up the wall. He was surprised he hadn't cracked by now, his discomfort was so unbearable. But something kept the red monkey from despairing, from losing all hope. In fact, it was only four words.

"_I love you, Nova." I actually said that to her. And she feels the same! Hoo-cha!_ Sprx smirked weakly as the room's temperature increased yet again. "What, I can't even think happy thoughts?" Sprx's reply was a sudden drop of liquid on his head. As the red monkey watched it slide down his nose, he noticed it was brown. Another drop came, and then another.

"Great." Sprx began humming to himself, trying desperately to cling to the hope Nova gave him.

* * *

Gibson tossed and turned, desperately trying to get to sleep. He attempted counting sheep, but when he reached 1,234,987, he realized it was useless. The blue monkey lay on his back and stared at the ceiling, his mind not letting him sleep.

_What if Nova loses? We'll lose both her, and Sprx. And where has Mubra been today? We were supposed to visit the archive together. And what is this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach? I need to take a walk, clear my mind_. Gibson got out of his bed and made for the door. Upon opening the door, Gibson was surprised to see Mubra about to knock. Gibson smiled happily.

"Good evening, Mubra. I missed you today." Mubra blushed furiously.

"Good evening, Gibson. I'm sorry I missed our appointment today. Yitai needed assistance with her training, and as her friend I felt it was my duty to assist her." Gibson simply nodded, an awkward silence forming between the two. After a couple seconds, Gibson cleared his throat and spoke.

"Well, I was just going for a walk to clear my head. Um, would you like to join me?" Mubra brightened considerably at this, looping her arm through Gibson's as she replied.

"I thought you'd never ask." Smiling, the couple made their way down the hall and out of the castle.

* * *

The moon shone down brilliantly, the night being perfectly clear. Thousands upon thousands of stars filled the sky, adding to the beautiful picture. Gibson lost himself in the spectacle, and had to be brought back by a nudge from Mubra. Gibson blushed.

"Er, sorry about that." Mubra laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Don't apologize, Gibson. Your love of science and nature is one reason I'm attracted to you." Gibson smiled at this, pulling Mubra closer to him as they continued walking. The blue monkey couldn't believe how lucky he was to have found somebody like Mubra. The very thought of spending the rest of his life with somebody as perfect as her filled the blue monkey with-wait. Gibson gasped, attracting Mubra's attention. "What's the matter, Gibson?" The seriousness that Gibson's eyes carried when he turned to her caught Mubra off guard.

"Mubra, a terrible thought has just occurred to me. What happens when I have to leave with the team" Mubra's eyes widened.

"Oh dear. I had forgotten about that." The two monkeys stood there in silence for awhile, not really sure what to do or say. Finally, Mubra worked up the courage to speak. "You…could stay here…with me." Gibson sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"No, that could never work. I could never leave my family. I am sorry." Mubra smiled, despite her disappointment.

"No, I understand, Gibson. I couldn't leave here either." The two lovers stood in silence once again; all theirs hopes and dreams seemed to have faded in the last minute. Why did fate have to be so cruel? To unite these two monkeys, and then to tear tem apart; it was almost unimaginable.

"Well, there is one thing." Mubra looked at Gibson.

"What is it?" The blue monkey smiled.

"Our robot is broken. It will probably be at least a month before Otto can fix it, probably more." Mubra brightened slightly at this.

"Well, that's something." Mubra placed her head on Gibson's chest, taking in his scent. He smelled of an assortment of chemicals with a smattering of that library smell. Mubra absolutely loved it. "You smell nice, Gibson." The blue simian blushed at the compliment.

"Why thank you, Mubra. I haven't bathed in two days now, so I'd assumed I was pretty ripe." The only answer Gibson received was the sound of Mubra's soft breathing. The blue primate looked down to see that Mubra had fallen asleep. Smiling, Gibson lay down on the ground and soon fell asleep himself. The sound of Mubra's breathing proved to be much better than counting sheep.

* * *

The sun rose blood red over the city of Paradise, an ominous omen that was not missed by many of the citizens.

"A red sun! You don't think that Miss Yitai will…?" This was the question on many of the citizens' minds as they flocked to the palace, eager to see the duel. It promised to be an epic one, which only increased the interest of the people. However, not everybody in the kingdom shared this enthusiasm.

"Do we have to do his, Antauri?" Chiro looked at the silver simian, a small hint of hope entering the teenager's blue eyes. Antauri nodded his head solemnly.

"Yes, Chiro, this is something we have to do. Right now the people of this kingdom are our allies. It would be most unwise to violate their cultural traditions, thusly earning ourselves a new enemy. And without the Super Robot on backup, we wouldn't last very long." Chiro sighed, nodding his head in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess you're right, Antauri. Still, I don't like the idea of losing Nova and Sprx forever." Antauri placed his hand on Chiro's shoulder, trying hard to hide his own misgivings.

"I know, Chiro. But we must have faith that the Power Primate will guide Nova to victory." Chiro tried to smile, but it wasn't easy.

"Well, I think we should go wish Nova luck." Antauri nodded, and then the two made their way towards the yellow female's room, where they met Otto. When he saw his two friends, Otto grinned goofily and smiled.

"Morning, guys! This is exciting, huh? We get to see Nova totally destroy somebody!" Chiro couldn't help but feel a bit better; Otto's enthusiasm and faith were just so infectious. Antauri simply smiled and nodded, knocking on Nova's door as he did so.

* * *

Nova was awakened by the sound of knocking on her door. The yellow monkey snapped awake, the events of yesterday all coming back to her. Nova placed her hands on her head, taking great gulping breaths in an attempt to calm down.

_Easy there, Nova. This is what you train everyday for. You can do it_. Still not thoroughly convinced with herself, Nova stood up and went to the bathroom, quickly rinsing her face in the sink. She had just gotten to the door when a second round of knocking began.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming! Sheesh!" The yellow primate opened the door to see the smiling faces of Chiro, Otto, and Antauri. Before Nova could say anything, Otto kissed her on the forehead.

"You're going to be great, Nova! I'm going to get a front row seat so I can see the fight better!" Nova blushed both from the kiss and the praise, hugging Otto and the others close. The fact that this might be the last time she ever touched or talked to these guys wasn't lost on her.

"I just want you guys to know that you're the best family a girl could ask for." Chiro smiled, picking up all three of the monkeys in a mighty hug.

"The same goes for you, Nova."

"Except for the girl part." Everyone laughed, causing Otto give them a confused look. "What? We're not girls, right?" Nova lightly smacked Otto in the back of the head.

_This might be the last time I ever witness one of Otto's stupid moments._ Nova mentally shook her head, driving such thoughts from her mind. Indecisiveness and self-doubt were deadly to a warrior. A sudden thought struck Nova as she memorized the faces of her dear friends.

"Where's Gibson?" At this everybody went silent, nobody having an answer. Nova just looked at the ground, hurt that the blue monkey wasn't here. A sudden shout caused Nova to brighten up.

"Morning, all." Gibson walked towards the group with Mubra by his side, the pair having just turned the corner into the corridor. Nova smiled and hugged Gibson close, the blue monkey returning the favor.

"You've been a great friend, Gibson." The blue monkey released Nova, smiling slightly.

"Been? I'd like to think that we'll still be friends later on." Nova smiled punching Gibson on the shoulder.

"Count on it, Gibson." Just then, two red monkeys walked up to the group, bowing to Mubra when they noticed her.

"Morning, Esteemed one." They spoke and moved in perfect unison, slightly unnerving everybody except Mubra, who just nodded and smiled.

"Morning, R.E.Ds. How are you today?" The pair looked at each other, and then back at Mubra, still in perfect unison.

"We are adequate, Esteemed one. We have come to escort Duelist Nova to the arena." Nova nodded, hugging all of her friends for what very well might be the last time.

"Well, this is it, guys." Chiro smiled, giving Nova a thumbs-up.

"See you after the fight, Nova." Otto chimed in here.

"Yeah! We'll get pancakes at Dan's pancake…uh, place!" Nova smiled, turning to follow her red escort. Mubra called out after Nova had taken a few more steps.

"I…wish you luck, Nova." Nova was surprised, but nodded graciously to Mubra. She must really care about Gibson to offer support to her best friend's enemy. As Nova and the R.E.Ds turned the corner, Mubra cleared her throat. "If you all would follow me, I'll lead you to the arena." Mubra spun on her heel and went in the opposite direction of Nova, the remaining Hyperforce members following suit. The group walked in silence for awhile, Gibson eventually breaking it.

"Why did you call those two monkeys R.E.Ds? Besides the obvious, I mean." Mubra smiled as she answered.

"It is an acronym that stands for Really Excellent Defenders." Gibson raised an eye-ridge at this.

"Isn't that a bit cliché?" Mubra laughed at this.

"Yes it is. But I wouldn't tell a R.E.D. that. They don't like people insulting their name." Gibson smiled, but Antauri spoke out in response.

"They seemed perfectly in-tune with each other." Mubra nodded in response.

"I would hope so. That is the result of spending every moment of everyday of their lives together since they were born." Everybody gasped at this, Chiro being the only one who could find his voice.

"Their _whole_ life? You mean they've been trained since birth?" Mubra only nodded in response. The group marched on in silence, digesting this information. To train for one's entire life would undoubtedly lead them to be a great warrior team. But one's whole life was quite a price to pay for greatness.

"Welcome to the Arena entrance." The Hyperforce was brought back from their thoughts by Mubra's voice. The group stared in awe at the spectacle before them. There were several large archways, each filled with a vertical portal. Writing above each of the archways identified what section each gateway led to, much like a modern-day stadium. Masses of citizens swarmed into the archways, except for one that said 'Nobility.' This was the one the Hyperforce was currently standing in front of. Mubra was about to speak when a voice called out.

"Hey guys!" The group turned around to see Arbum, Dan, and Ingant approaching them. Arbum smiled and waved to Otto, Dan smiled happily, and Ingant simply nodded. Otto waved to Dan and Arbum, but Chiro had a different response for Ingant.

"Greetings, Miss. My name is Chiro, leader of the Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce. May I ask who you are?" Ingant smiled politely, bowing to Chiro and the group graciously.

"I am pleased to meet you, one called Chiro. My name is Ingant, mother of Yitai." The group fell silent at this, the feeling of unease palpable. Here stood the two parties representing the opposing duelists, so it was not the easiest of situations. Arbum cleared her throat and grabbed Otto by the arm.

"Well, we'd better hurry if we want good seats." Without another word, the dark brown monkey pulled Otto through the portal after her. Gibson and Mubra followed soon after, then Chiro and Antauri, and lastly came Dan and Ingant.

* * *

Nova walked down the hallway in-between her red escorts, lost in her thoughts. She played out Yitai's movements in her mind, planning out her responses in anticipation. However, she kept losing focus, becoming attracted to the red fur of the guards. It reminded her of Sprx's fur, the fur she had always longed to snuggle up against. And now that she had finally gotten that chance, some tramp had to come in and ruin it. Nova fumed inwardly, her hate and contempt for the purple Yitai burning strong.

"I'm going to kill that bitch." The sound of laughter brought Nova back from her thoughts.

"Good luck with that, one called Nova. Miss Yitai is one of the greatest warriors in the kingdom. Don't think that you have much of a chance." Nova glared at the guard who had spoken, who only smirked in reply. "And glaring won't do you much good either. I'm sure either me or my brother here could take you easy." The other guard smirked and nodded, which threatened to set Nova off. The yellow warrior felt that familiar feeling of intense heat building inside of her, but she wasn't about to take it out on these two clowns. The group marched on in silence until they reached a small wooden door, which the guards opened, beckoning Nova in.

"When the room suddenly lights up, you enter the portal. Understand?" Nova only nodded, entering the dimly lit room. The guards closed the door none-too-gently after her, and Nova heard the sound of a lock clicking. Undeterred, Nova stretched out and warmed up, and then got into a meditative position, trying to clear her mind.

* * *

The Hyperforce emerged into a scene of utter amazement. They were in a building very similar to the Coliseum in Rome, except this building had a slightly more monkey-esque feel to it. The three symbolic monkey statues stood in a triangle at the top of the building, looking down with their emotionless faces. Hordes of cheering citizens lined the lower and upper rows, not to mention food and merchandise vendors. Otto grabbed three bags of peanuts and a giant yellow foam finger before Arbum dragged him to their seats. Antauri, Chiro, Gibson, and Mubra took seats nearby, while Dan sat next to Otto. Ingant seemed to make a point of sitting next to Arbum, but nobody noticed this. King Grom, who sat in the middle of the Nobility row stood up, the whole arena falling immediately silent. The giant gorilla cleared his throat before continuing.

"Citizens of Paradise! We are here today to witness an epic struggle between two women for the heart of one man! Are you ready?" The crowd roared in response, making King Grom smiled. "Very well then. Please put your hands together for the first combatant, Nova!" King Grom pressed a button on his throne as he spoke.

* * *

Nova snapped out of her meditative trance as a blinding light appeared in the room, followed by a voice.

"Very well then. Please put your hands together for the first combatant, Nova!" The yellow female sprung up, took a deep breath, and marched through the portal located in the room.

* * *

Nova emerged from the portal in the center of the arena to be greeted by a chorus of boos. Nova scanned the crowd for her friends, but soon found Otto's voice guiding her.

"GO NOVA!" The green monkey's voice resounded over all others, amplified by a small device he had created the night before. All the people near Otto had their hands over their ears, their eardrums thumping in pain. The rest of the Hyperforce waved to Nova, he returned the gesture. King Grom cleared his throat once again, causing the entire place to fall silent yet again.

"And now, put your hands together for you very own, Yitai!" The roar of the crowd was deafening as the purple monkey emerged from the portal, waving and blowing kisses to everybody in the crowd. Many of the male members of the audience wolf whistled. Yitai finally turned to Nova, green eyes meeting pink one. The contempt and desire to kill was evident to the crowd, which made them eager for the duel to start. King Grom cleared his throat a third time; the response was immediate.

"Know, we reveal the prize these two shall be dueling for." The crowd held their breath as something began to emerge from the portal.

* * *

Sprx was awakened by the sound of somebody entering the room. The red monkey cracked open an eyelid to see a strange brown monkey approaching his cube. Sprx smirked as he spoke.

"Are you real, or are you just another hallucination?" The brown monkey didn't reply. Instead, it placed its hand on the crate, shutting its eyes in concentration. Sprx was about to ask what the stranger was doing when he felt the box begin to rise. Sprx felt himself and the crate rise, and soon found himself in the arena.

* * *

Everybody gasped as Sprx and his crate rose from the portal. The cube continued to rise until it came to a stop about twenty yards above the combatants. A couple of the young female crowd members whispered to each other and giggled. Nova stared up at Sprx, worried. He looked tired, plus he was covered with sweat and some disgusting brown liquid. Nova didn't want to know what the red monkey had been going through. King Grom spoke, addressing Sprx in particular.

"Master Sprx, you are allowed a few words, in case you wish to say something before your mind is altered." Sprx cleared his throat before he spoke.

"First of all, let me say that this has been a fun time. You should try it, your highness. Secondly, I just want to say that-" Sprx looked Nova straight in the eye as he spoke "-love you, Nova. I love you more than anything in the entire universe." Nova smiled and replied before anybody could stop her.

"I love you to, Sprx. Always and forever." Sprx smiled, but it was driven from his face by Yitai.

"Enough of this!" The purple monkey cracked her knuckles and then pointed at Nova. "I'm going to make you suffer first, bitch." Nova smirked and got into a fighting stance.

"My thoughts exactly." King Grom's voice boomed over the crowd.

"Let the duel begin!" Quick as a flash, Yitai shot forward and kicked out at Nova's stomach. Anticipating the move, Nova grabbed Yitai's foot in her hands. In one fluid motion, the purple monkey spun her body, bringing her free foot crashing into the left side of Nova's face, sending the golden warrior flying. The crowd cheered the maneuver, only to be blotted out by Otto's voice.

"Foul! I call a foul!" Dan gave Otto an are-you-insane look, while Arbum just laughed. Nova picked her self up off the ground, pouncing on Yitai and tackling her to the ground. Nova managed to score a few good blows to the face before Yitai kicked out with her feet, catching Nova right in the stomach.

"Oof!" The yellow female flew backwards, landing a few feet away. Yitai picked herself off the ground, looking at Nova slightly more wary. A dark mist began to form around the purple monkey's hands, and her voice was venomous as she spoke.

"What do you say we stop playing around?" Nova smirked, bringing out her giant fists as she replied.

"Thought you'd never ask. Boom Boom Wakeup!" Nova smashed her fists into the ground, sending a giant wall of earth smashing into Yitai. The purple monkey was carried by the wave of earth, and it appeared she was going to be flattened against the arena wall. Suddenly, Yitai lashed out with her shadowy hands, breaking the earth as if it were paper. Nova stared as her opponent brushed herself off, smiling contemptuously.

"Neat trick. Now try this on for size!" Yitai punched her fists into the ground, sending a super fast shadow wave to ensnare Nova's feet. The yellow monkey found herself unable to break free as the shadows traveled up her legs, across her body, ever nearing her throat. Nova felt icy chills of fear and shadow mixing in her body, and that's what saved her. Nova's heating circuits went into overdrive, burning away at the shadows ensnaring her body. Yitai screamed in agony as the shadows rushed back to her, rubbing her arms as if she had been burned. Nova smirked as she watched the pained monkey, allowing all her hate to enter her voice as she spoke.

"What's the matter, sweetie? Can't take the _heat_?" Yitai snarled, rushing Nova blindly. The yellow female rolled out of the way of the charge, kicking out with her legs as she did so. Yitai's knee buckled as Nova made contact with the joint, causing the purple monkey to fall to the ground and wince in pain. Nova smiled as she stood up, walking over to the crippled primate. But as Nova raised her fist to finish Yitai off, she hesitated. That was all the time Yitai needed.

"Weak fool!" Nova was thrown back by a wave of shadow energy. When she picked herself off the ground, it was to find a completely different Yitai. The purple primate was surrounded by a dark shadow aura that was similar to Chiro's Inner Primate Form, only this one didn't radiate that warm, hope-giving feeling. This one just radiated hunger. Hunger for Nova.

"And I thought you were ugly before." Yitai laughed coldly, snapping her shadow hand out and grabbing Nova by the throat. Nova's feet flailed as she struggled to free herself, but it was to no avail. The shadow form was too strong. Yitai brought the pair face to face, speaking in a malevolent tone.

"I told you I'd make you suffer. Now witness the future!" Nova screamed as the shadow engulfed her face.

_

* * *

_

_Sprx sat in a lavishly decorated room, holding a pair of newborn monkeys in his arms. Multiple younger monkeys of varying ages filled the room, playing more or less harmoniously with one another. Nova didn't really understand what she was seeing until somebody entered the room._

_Yitai. The purple monkey made her way over to where Sprx sat, taking on of the children and kissing the red monkey passionately._

"_How are you today, my husband?" Sprx smiled and pulled Yitai close to him._

"_I am fine now that you are here, my love." Sprx kisses Yitai and Nova felt the world crumble around her._

* * *

Nova gasped as the shadow left her face. The yellow monkey was light headed from the lack of oxygen, but she was still able to understand Yitai as she spoke.

"That is the future, except it." Nova made a strange noise and then spat in Yitai's face. The purple monkey shrieked, hurling Nova against the stadium wall. Nova crumpled to the ground amidst the rubble.

"NOVA!" The entire Hyperforce was on their feet, not believing what was happening. Nova couldn't lose. She just couldn't. Otto watched as Chiro clasped Antauri's hand, and Gibson did the same with Mubra. Otto was about to do the same with Arbum when he noticed she wasn't there. Neither was Ingant.

* * *

"Is there a reason you drew me from the fight, Ingant?" Ingant looked at Arbum with sympathetic eyes, a dark aura gathering around her hands.

"I am sorry, Arbum. But you have been tainted, and must be cleansed." Arbum's eyes went wide.

"No! Y-You can't!" Ingant pressed Arbum against the wall, drawing back her hand.

"Oh yes I can, dear child. Remember, this is for your own good." But as Ingant brought her hand forward, she screamed in pain. She looked at the hand she was holding Arbum with and found it was pierced with needles. Arbum frowned.

"And this is for you own good." The brown monkey attacked.

* * *

Nova came back to reality when a rock fell on her head. The yellow female rubbed her cranium, picking up the large rock. She was struck by a sudden idea.

_This could be my only chance._ Nova hurled the rock at the oncoming Yitai. It penetrated deep into the shadow form, but did not strike the owner. Yitai laughed.

"What was the point of that?" Yitai's response was a sudden and intense heat. Nova stood next to thee wounded shadow form, her flaming hands inside the hole created by the rock.

"It gave me an opening." Yitai screamed and fell to the floor, her shadow form dissipating. Nova stood above the fallen monkey, ready to end the fight. "This is for Sprx, bitch." A sudden explosion caught Nova's attention. A portion of the Arena floor crumbled and fell to reveal a lone figure, but others soon rose from the hole. Nova couldn't believe her eyes.

"Mandarin?" The undead monkey smiled malevolently. And he wasn't alone.

**

* * *

**

**There you go. The long awaited Chapter 9. Again, I apologize.**

**Yay for cliffhangers! Plz R&R**

**Just cuz:**

**SVE SEASON 5!**


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